AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
DONA PAULA: Brutal violence to claim their land is sending shivers down the spines of people after the duo of father and son were at receiving end of logs, fists and kicks at Chinvar in Anjuna.
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32-year-old Merchant Navy Officer Mevilton and his father, Timmy Theodore, 62 were brutally assaulted by 20 unknown goons on Thursday over a supposed property dispute, which has several strands of claims and counter-claims.
When the traumatised victims, who escaped deaths at the hands of 20-odd criminals, met OHeraldo in the room of the private hospital where the two were shifted from GMC, fear was writ large on the faces of Mevilton Timmy Theodore and his wife.
The incident occurred when he and his son had come from Belagavi and had gone to their ancestral place to repair the roof one of their houses in Anjuna. (See box for incident details)
“I saw 20-odd goons in the property before we could enter and so called my cousin and asked him to come with the police. They first started hitting my father and when I intervened, they started smashing both of us mercilessly. This happened in a matter of around 20 minutes. Luckily for us, they ran away as they saw the police entering with my cousin,” recounts Mevilton.
“The property dispute does not bother me. I am now living in fear of what will happen to my father and mother when I go to work. I never expected brutality to reach such a level,” mutters Mevilton Theodore, as he tries to express himself through his battered face.
His mother Maria, who had to drive down from Belagavi on hearing the news that her husband and son were battered and in hospital, is more worried about the fate of her husband and son.
“I am numb after seeing them. I shifted them from GMC to this hospital because my husband started turning black. I never thought I would see the two of them in such a bad state and I will not leave until I know they are safe,” says Maria, still getting over the shock.
Whilst Mevilton is in a private room, his father Timmy is in the ICU, but his attention is more on the movements of his mother. Every time she steps out, worry and fear creeps into him.
“Please go with her,” he pleads with his cousin Alan every time she moves out of the room.
“I am afraid those guys are capable of attacking her,” he explains. “Those guys are capable of doing anything bad to my mother just because of money,” he reasons.
Maria admits that her family property has been under dispute since the time she alleges one Bruno D’Souza claimed he was the owner.
“One day, I came to know that this Bruno did the mutation of my grandmother’s property in his favour in Canacona,” alleges Maria.
“He (Bruno) filed a case (no RCS /154/2023) and withdrew the same on July 5, 2024. I have told him in front of the police that in case he can prove in court that he is one of the heirs of the property, we are ready to make him part of the share,” explained Maria.
“I have never seen him or even been introduced to this Bruno by my grandparents, uncles or any relative. As my mom says, if he can prove to be related to us in court, the matter is over and no need of this brutality,” mutters Mevilton.
“I dread going back to that place without police protection,” confesses Maria.”
“The police helped my husband and son but that does not give me the confidence because the law and order situation has crumbled and the police are responsible for that,” asserts Maria.
“Goa is gripped by greed. A greed that is seeing men go to levels of killing just to make a fast buck and the police who are supposed to be our protectors, seem to be dancing to the tune of their master,” lamented Maria’s sister Lucy.
As you move out of the hospital trying to process this cocktail of trauma, abject fear the question that haunts is – whose turn is it next?
2 held for assaulting Theodores
PANJIM: The Anjuna Police have arrested two persons in connection with assault of Timmy and Mevilton Theodore by more than 20 people over a property dispute at Chunvar, Anjuna, on Thursday.
According to police, the accused Digamber Narayan Salkar (54) from Duler and Akhil Suresh Tekkekar (33) from Kuchelim, Mapusa have been arrested
and remanded to seven days of police custody.
Anjuna Police stated that since the assault injuries were grievous in nature, they will also oppose the bail application of the accused.
Sources in the police informed that more arrests are likely to happen in the case.
An attempt to murder case was registered on the complaint of Mevilton Theodore on Thursday (November 7) night, police said, adding more arrests will happen.
Meanwhile, Bruno D’Souza, 92, a Mumbai resident also filed a counter complaint against the Theodores claiming his right over the property. Police are investigating both sides of the stories. Sources in the police also stated that one of the accused had disclosed that he had gone to the contentious site on request of Bruno.
