TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Several angry residents from Gawdewada-Mandrem on Tuesday marched to Ponda Police station and staged a sit-in agitation to demand justice for Suraj Gavde (21), who was crushed to death by a fire tender on May 21.
Acting on the intervention of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Ponda Police registered an FIR against the fire tender driver, Narayan Dargalkar of Ponda fire station.
Unhappy that they had not got justice despite lodging complaints and submitting memorandums, a large group of residents from Gawdewada staged a protest rally to Ponda Police station to seek justice for the deceased. Later, the agitators staged a sit-in agitation for three hours in front of Ponda Police station.
In the meantime, a delegation of residents led by Adv Prasad Shahapurkar and others met Chief Minister Parrikar at Panjim to seek his intervention in the matter. Later, Ponda Police registered an FIR against fire tender driver, Narayan Dargalkar, for rash and negligent driving, causing the death of Gavde on May 21.
Ragoba Gavde, who was leading the rally, told reporters that despite earlier applications and deadline, police had failed to reinvestigate and file an FIR against the fire tender driver.
“The deceased was held responsible for the accident due to his rash driving, while the driver of the tender free was let off without registering offence despite he was involved in the accident,” he said.
“As police failed to file an FIR against the fire tender driver, we were forced to stage a rally,” added Gavde.
Pernem Swabimani Nagrik Samithi President Devendra Prabhudesai said: “We were about to approach the court to seek its order to direct Ponda Police to file FIR against the driver, but following assurance from the chief minister to lodge an FIR, we changed our decision.”
“The fire tender had dashed Gavde from the rear end in front of Ponda fire station,” claimed Prabhudesai.
