There are efforts to arrange a meeting between the family and Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik to try and resolve the sensitive matter.
It maybe recalled that on Monday, Fernandes collided with a fish container vehicle head on. The irate mob from Ambaulim and surrounding areas had accused the Cuncolim police of not conducting the panchanama properly. The police took away from the scene the body and the motorcycle that Fernandes was riding on without following due procedures, they alleged.
Unruly scenes were witnessed throughout Monday which left some policemen injured and their vehicles damaged as well. The family and the mob had demanded that the body of Fernandes and the motorcycle be brought back to the accident site and that the panchanama be conducted in their presence. The situation was tense till Tuesday as the family refused to take the body of the deceased which is being preserved at the Ponda ID hospital morgue.
Cuncolim police have booked cases against 12 individuals whose identities are known for causing injury to police personnel, rioting and other offences. Cases are also booked against 300 unknown persons.
Reacting to the action taken by the police and the overall chain of events, ZP member Cleofacio Dias and Amabulim panch Agustinho Fernandes demanded that all the offences be withdrawn immediately. They further berated the police handling of the situation and held them responsible for the violence and rioting.
They also called for the immediate suspension of the Cuncolim police inspector, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable who they blamed for the shoddy investigations in the beginning.
