TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Simmering Morjim erupted on New Year’s eve after what is believed to be a long-standing rivalry came to the surface resulting in a full-scale war between two clubs with extensive damage to property and reports that gunshots had been fired.
While no police complaints have been registered by either of the owners of the two warring clubs, and with police saying that they have no role to play given that none of the parties had approached them and that whatever took place was in private premises, locals say Morjim is sitting on a ticking time bomb.
“There is a big mafia operating in Morjim backed by Russians. Tomorrow they will not even hesitate to attack your newspaper office,” a local taxi driver told Herald.
It is reliably learnt that one of the clubs is run by a north Indian along with his Russian spouse while the other is run by a Goan.
While police played down the issue and most locals preferred to remain silent, a status update by a Russian on a popular social networking site who was an eyewitness to the happenings claims that a Club operating in Morjim area was attacked, furniture destroyed and a DJ struck on the head with a bottle at 12 midnight. Another club in close vicinity is also reported to have been attacked by what is believed to be retaliatory attacks.
Interestingly the owners denied there being any trouble in their respective outlets on New Year’s eve.
According to the turn of events the owner of one club marched into another and got into an argument. He later returned with a gang of men, who started vandalizing the club’s property. In retaliation a gang from this club went and vandalized property in the first club.
“The police have no role here. There are no police complaints filed and whatever happened is within private property,” North Goa SP Vijay Singh said.
He confirmed that a team of Goa Police had visited the spot.
Morjim has been in the news during the last one month over rifts between local tourist taxi operators and Russians who have also engaged in similar business’ with allegations of the latter virtually taking over Morjim.
Herald has learnt that Delhi based business kingpins have also started showing interest in Morjim by setting up club houses and restaurants.
“That last night’s incident was provoked by the international visitors was not clear but these kind of incidents will start happening in the days to come,” said this taxi operator.
Local MLA Laxmikant Parsekar when contacted seemed unaware of the incident as he said he was in Kerala.
