Amidst the debate on what bystanders could have done, neighbours speak out

MARGAO: Some neighbourhood shopkeepers and proprietors claim that they didn’t hear any cry for help or alarm during the skirmish between the (late) Swapnil Naik and the thieves. The people from the neighbourhood say that it was due to the late realization of what was actually happening (the incident) that the people’s reaction to the incident was late. 

A doctor from the opposite lane said that he was inside the clinic attending to his patient when it happened. Speaking about when he got to hear about the incident, he said another patient had parked the car outside and then informed them that some is bleeding and is being taken to the hospital by some people.  

Others in the vicinity also said they didn’t hear shouts or screams that would have got them to go and check what had happened. 

Another shopkeeper from the vicinity, named Rodwin said, “Swapnil didn’t utter a cry for help. Even when he came outside and fell down, he didn’t call out to anybody. 

In the viral video, there is an old man who can be seen coming to help after seeing the scuffle, but the minute he saw the knife, he stopped.” 

He added that it was around 12.30 pm and he was busy doing his office work when he noticed one person passing by outside his office. 

“There was no speedy run from the person who stabbed him and that also didn’t give me any impression that such a serious thing might have happened. When I heard someone shouting “Chor Chor” and without even putting on my footwear, I ran behind the person to catch hold of him, but the person was much ahead and this also made it difficult to catch hold of him. The little difference of time affected my chances of catching him. I also remembered that the person who was running also tripped on the speed breaker and then he got up again and continued running. The young boys who were near that person could not catch him because he was armed with a knife. The boys although chose to throw a stone at him,” said Rodney. 

Another person named Bhanu Mandal, a kiosk owner from the nearby area also said that he heard that some person had stabbed one guy but that he got to know about it too late. “But I learnt it late as there was no noise or screams etc from anyone,” said Bhanu. 

 One pharmacist from the opposite lane also said that he did not see the incident but only heard about it from some locals only after it had occurred.