Assault victims booked
HERALD NEWS BUREAU
PANJIM, APRIL 24
Adding insult to injury, John Fernandes and Pobre Fernandes, who were allegedly assaulted by two persons on Friday, were booked by Quepem police on Saturday on charges of blocking mining traffic.
This has evoked strong condemnation from the Quepem Taluka Mining Affected People’s Front (QTMAPF), at a meeting in Quepem on Saturday.
It may be recalled that Herald’s correspondent John Fernandes and Pobre Fernandes were assaulted on Friday, when John tried to click photos of mining traffic congestion at Quepem.
John Fernandes and Pobre Fernandes later filed a police complaint against the accused, Prasad Faldessai and Eupociano Pereira with the Quepem police. Faldessai and Pereira later filed a counter police complaint accusing John and Pobre of blocking the mining traffic.
Quepem police then booked all four persons under Section 151 CrPC.
Narrating the sequence of events, John Fernandes stated that he was taking photos near the Quepem Cemetery, where there was a traffic jam.
“A police patrol jeep was parked at the site and two police officials were regulating traffic as one mining truck had a breakdown. Quepem police overlooked this and entertained the complaint filed by Faldessai and Pereira against Pobre and myself,” said John.
The QTMAPF claimed that the complaint filed against John and Pobre was concocted as the verbal recording on the mobile had indicated otherwise.
The QTMAPF further condemned the Quepem police for failing to take action on the complaint filed by John, who was allegedly assaulted at the police station by one accused and a relative.
On Saturday, QTMAPF members reported the incident to the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police (South) and requested them to take stern action against the accused.
Meanwhile on Saturday morning, the District Magistrate convened a meeting of top officials to direct them on the high court order passed on April 22. He further stated that he would issue a notification on this order on Monday and directed all authorities to implement the order.
Assault victims booked
PANJIM, APRIL 24 Adding insult to injury, John Fernandes and Pobre Fernandes, who were allegedly assaulted by two persons on Friday, were booked by Quepem police on Saturday on charges of blocking mining traffic.
