Pope’s call on Syria: Church responds
PANJIM: Responding to Pope Francis’ call for fast and abstinence to invoke God’s gift of peace upon Syria, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has declared September 7 as the day of fast and abstinence.
In a press note, the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media has stated that Pope Francis has made a call to invoke God’s great gift of peace upon Syria and upon each situation of conflict and violence around the world.
“Pope Francis has invited each person, including fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of goodwill, to participate in whatever way they can, in this initiative.”
“We appeal one and all to express their solidarity with the concerns of the Holy Father in this moment of need for gestures of peace and hope,” states the press note.
Man acquitted in wife suicide case
MARGAO: The principal South Goa District and sessions Judge, Nutan Sardesai, on Tuesday, acquitted Ravi Kumar Jatala of Varunapuri, Mangor, Vasco, who was charged under sections 306, 304-B of IPC. The prosecution examined 12 witnesses.
Jatala was arrested by Vasco police on February 11, 2009 for the suicide of his 23-year-old wife J Prasana at Navy Quarters, Varunapuri, on July 22, 2008, where he was working. Jatala was charged of subjecting his wife to mental harassment and torture by demanding dowry from her parents due to which she is said to have committed suicide.
Netravali man gets bail
MARGAO: Additional District and Sessions Judge, South Goa, Vincent D’Silva, granted bail to accused Jitendra D Prabhudesai of Netravali, Sanguem, who was booked under sections 307, 504, 506, 427, 379 read with 34 of IPC. He was arrested on August 30 by the Sanguem police.
The judge in his order has directed the Sanguem police to release Prabhudesai on a personal bail bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety in like amount further directing him to report to the IO from Wednesday September 4 for three days.
Kidnapping offence registered
MARGAO: Margao police have registered offences of kidnapping, wrongful restrain, abduction, wrongful confinement, assault and threatening against Videsh Amonkar of Kharebhand and one Johny on a complaint from Joseph Braganza of Colvale, Bardez.
Braganza in his complaint has stated that on Tuesday afternoon as he was driving to towards Ponda, the accused persons who came on motorcycle stopped him near Chowgule Maruti Showroom, Fatorda, on the pretext of discussing some matter.
Teenage girl kidnapped while
on way to attending clases
CURCHOREM: An 18-year-old girl was reported kidnapped at St Francisco Colony, Amona in Quepem.
According to Quepem Police, the girl’s father complained that on August 27 some persons kidnapped his daughter while she was on her way to attend tailoring classes at Curchorem. Head Constable Santosh Gaonkar is investigating the case.
Pujari allegedly commits sucide
by self-immolation in forest
CANACONA: An 82-year-old Pujari from Shristhal reportedly committed suicide by self-immolation in the Nuvem forest in Canacona on Tuesday morning.
According to Canacona Police, the partly burnt body of Gopal Krishna Hegde was found in Nuvem forest at the doorstep of a hut, which is temporarily used by forest personnel to rest during duty. The spot is located away from his residence near Shri Mallikarjun Temple, Shristhal.
Police sources informed that Hegde’s body was severely burnt below the abdomen with traces of kerosene.
Even though exact reason could not be known, family sources informed police that Hegde had earlier made a futile attempt to commit suicide.
Hegde was a Pujari (Bhat), while one of his sons is also a Pujari reportedly practicing at Shri Mallikarjun Temple, Shristhal. Police sources further informed that the body was handed over to family after conducting autopsy and cremated at Shristhal.
Copper coils worth Rs 1.25 lakh stolen from company warehouse
PORVORIM: Copper coils worth Rs 1.25 lakh were stolen from a company warehouse at Karaswada Industrial Estate.
According to Mapusa Police, Antos P Soj, warehouse in-charge of a company at Karaswada Industrial Estate, complained that between 6.15 pm on August 31 and 9 am on September 2, some persons stole 206 packets of copper coils worth Rs 1.25 lakh which were kept in the company warehouse. PSI C R Gawas is investigating the case.
Burglars decamp with cash
from?Dargah donation box
PONDA: Burglars decamped with cash of about Rs 4,000 from the donation box at an unmanned Dargah in Ponda city on Monday.
According to a committee member of the Hazrat Ashraf Shah Quadri Dargah, the incident came to light when the Dargah was being closed late Monday evening.
“The stolen cash could be in the range of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 as cash deposited in the donation box by the devotees visiting the Dargah is removed once in six months,” informed the committee member.
The members further informed that the Dargah is open from 6 am to 7 pm and the theft could have taken place in the afternoon. The burglars broke open the donation box lock and decamped with the cash.
“Apart from upgrading security measures, we also plan to appoint an attendant as the Dargah is open throughout the day for devotees. We will also request police to patrol the area and apprehend the offenders as fast as possible,” informed Hazrat Ashraf Shah Quadri Dargah Committee President Mullam XEC Abbas.
The Dargah committee has filed a police complaint in this regard.
NCP?demands inquiry into
GMC admission fiasco
PANJIM: The Nationalist Congress Party has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) GMC admission fiasco, on the grounds that it had resulted in severe inconvenience to students and in some cases resulted in ruining students’ careers.
“The Court rightly considering the plight of the MBBS Merit list medical students had mercy on them and directed that they could be allotted the All India 21 seats that were vacant at GMC, [but] the criminal manipulation of this government finally landed in miscarriage of justice to the waiting list of doctors for PG course from the NEET Merit List,” the NCP said. Usually vacant seats would have been filled by students from the NEET merit list. The NCP also demands that the Health Minister who holds the portfolio (who himself is a educationist) should be sacked for creating chaos in the medical field, which is an essential service providing service to the aam aadmi,” the statement reads.
Laptops distributed to Chorao
HSSC?students under Cyberage
MAYEM: Deputy Speaker Anant Shet on Tuesday distributed laptops under Cyber Age scheme to the HSSC students of R & P Salkar HSS of Arts and Commerce, Chorao, Ilhas.
Speaking on the occasion, Shet highlighted the importance of education and asked the students to concentrate on their studies. He also urged the students to keep themselves abreast with latest happenings to face the challenges in this rapid-developing world. “Education has now become a useful tool of the society,” he added.
Principal Sumant Kanyalkar and Chorao Sarpanch Divya Usapkar were among those present on the occasion.
Special Olympics to organise
tree plantation drive in Vasco
VASCO: The Special Olympics (Bharat) Goa, a volunteer sports organisation catering to the field of intellectual disability, will organise a tree plantation drive on Wednesday.
Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida will plant sapling at SAG ground, Chicalim, at 3.30 pm. The tree plantation drive will be conducted by the Special Athletes from Special Schools of Vasco. Schools catering to special children are requested to attend the function, states the press note.
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: City-based engineer and Executive Committee member of the Institution of Valuers, Goa Branch Mahendra Caculo spoke on ‘Persuing Excellence’ during an Aswad programme in Gomant Vidyaniketan, Margao. Caculo also spoke on direct and indirect ways which lead to excellence at work.
