A minor traffic dispute in Cur chorem allegedly escalat ed into a confrontation in which the son of sitting MLA Rajesh Faldessai threatened a senior citizen, struck his car with a rod and chased the family’s ve hicle, according to a police complaint filed on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday when Vallabh Kudchadkar, a senior cit izen, was travelling from Curchorem towards Mar gao with his daughter-in law and grandchildren. According to his complaint, the family reached Cur chorem market, where an other vehicle was parked in a manner that obstructed traffic. Kudchadkar said his daughter-in-law, who was driving, honked to alert the driver. He alleged that the driver became angry, got out of the vehicle and ques tioned her about honking. “We later came to know that he was the MLA’s son,” he said. According to the com plainant, the man subse quently returned to his vehicle, switched on the parking lights and contin ued to remain on the road despite the obstruction. Kudchadkar said he ap proached the vehicle and knocked on the door but received no response. The vehicle eventually moved away after locals gathered at the spot.
The confrontation, however, allegedly resumed a short distance away. Kudchadkar claimed that the same vehicle stopped their car and that the driver emerged carrying a rod. “We panicked, even as our other family members were also travelling in the car. We tried to overtake him, but the rod hit our car,” he alleged. The complainant said the vehicle then followed them for some distance before they stopped near a traffic signal where several other vehicles were present. The other vehi cle subsequently left the area. For Kudchadkar, the issue went beyond the damage al legedly caused to the vehicle. “His behaviour was wrong. He created terror. I later came to know that he was the son of sitting MLA Rajesh Faldessai. His behaviour was unac ceptable. What we did not like was the dadagiri.
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I fear that he could attack me in the future,” he said. Kudchadkar has appealed to the Chief Minister and the police to ensure an impartial investigation and appropriate action based on the findings. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he had asked the po lice to conduct a proper investigation and initiate appro priate action. Curchorem PI Melson Colaco said the police received Kudchadkar’s complaint on Monday afternoon and were conducting an inquiry into the incident. SP South Akshat Ayush said a preliminary inquiry had begun to ascertain whether a criminal offence had been committed.
Proceedings under the Motor Vehicles Act were also being initiated and the person concerned would be challaned, he said. The incident also triggered political reactions, with op position parties demanding action. AAP Goa president ac cused those in power of believing they could act with impu nity and demanded the immediate arrest of those allegedly involved. He also urged the Goa Police to investigate the matter independently and without political pressure. The police inquiry will now determine the circumstances of the confrontation and whether the allegations made in the complaint disclose any criminal offences.
