CALANGUTE: The owners of the iconic Souza Lobo Restaurant which was attacked by around 80 armed persons on Tuesday night informed on Wednesday they were offered Rs 40 crore by the alleged mastermind of the crime Rajeev Arora to leave the property.
The owners of Souza Lobo Restaurant Jude Lobo and Laverne Lobo also threatened to hit the streets along with the people if the police failed to investigate the incident and arrest the Delhi-based businessman, who they feel is the main culprit behind the attacks.
It can be recalled that for the third time, the iconic Souza Lobo restaurant located on the Calangute beach was attacked by around 80 people with stones, swords, knives, bottles and damaged property causing loss of around Rs 30 lakh on Tuesday night. Six people sustained minor injuries while three sustained severe injuries and are undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim.
The Lobos have alleged that government and police authorities are manipulating the case since from last one year the restaurant has been attacked and till now the police have not filed a charge sheet in the first attack that happened in November 2020.
“More than 50 people entered the property and started damaging the property by breaking bottles and throwing stones. They were carrying swords, iron rods. Someone even fired in the air. This is being done to scare us and force us to leave the property. The main culprit Rajeev Arora has offered us Rs 40 crore to leave the property,” the Lobo couple said.
“This Delhi-based businessman first hired one Sameer Toraskar last year for attack, second time the police itself came with the accused person while giving them police protection,” the couple alleged, adding that now one person named Chotu alias Gajendar Singh along with one Sunil Bhomkar had come along with 50 others.
They further informed that construction has been done to set up a dance bar allegedly by Arora. Local panchayat has issued demolition notice based on the complaint. But till date none of the other authorities including Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) have initiated any action. The club we have here next to Souza Lobo is not a dance bar but a club for corporate parties,” the Lobos said.
“It’s been more than a year now since the first attack occurred. But the government and police authorities have failed to solve the case. Two weeks ago we received an inspection notice from GCZMA and asked us to produce our documents. We have been here since 1932 and the advocate of the other party claims that property up to the beach is owned by him. How can he own the government property?” Lobo couple questioned.
Lobo couple alleged that the attack was pre-planned and feared that if the case is not investigated thoroughly, then there are possibilities that such incidents may occur again in the future.
