Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has extended the deadline to complete the ongoing magisterial inquiry into the lathi charge on protesting fishermen by 30 days.
IAS officer and South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik is inquiring into allegations of unwarranted lathicharge on the traditional fishermen and role of SP Karthik Kashyap in caning the crowd near the fisheries jetty in the capital.
As part of the inquiry, Naik had urged witnesses to depose before him and submit any evidence in the form of videos, photos, audio recordings.
Over 500 traditional fishermen had blocked Rivers Mandovi and Sal pressing for a ban on LED lights on fishing trawlers, bull trawling and use of China made engines on trawlers. The situation turned violent on the second day of the strike with fishermen alleging that a lathi charge was ordered so that offshore casinos do not lose business. The government had earlier sought the report within a month of ordering the inquiry.
