Team Herald
PANJIM: Though Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asked the State Chief Secretary not to take action against protesting mining dependents who on Monday blocked the highway, the State PWD Minister said that taking action will be the State’s decision.
Panjim Police have already registered an offence against 13 identified leaders of the mining dependents and others under Sections 143, 147, 148, 353, 336, 427, 504, 506 (ii) read with 149 of IPC and Section 8B of National Highway Act 1956 and section 3 of PDPA Act.
Police said that the sections include forming an unlawful assembly by shouting slogans against the government and police and blocking the National Highway for six hours thereby wrongfully restraining the general public and vehicular traffic.
Police have further added a section for abusing police personnel with filthy language, threatening them with dire consequences, pelting stones, assaulting and obstructing public servants while discharging their lawful duties and for damaging public property thereby defying orders issued by the District Magistrate.
Gadkari said, “I have told CS not to act against mining dependents except those caught on camera damaging public property.”
Union Minister said this a day after mining dependents held the State to ransom and the police had to resort to a lathi charge to disperse the agitating mining dependents.
However, Ramkrisha Dhavalikar said, “We have taken the vehicles numbers and identified people present for the protest. I don’t want to disclose it. What action has to be taken will be decided by the government”.
Dhavalikar was speaking to the media a day after Gadkari’s statement protecting the agitators.
Panjim Police have said that the total loss is yet to be estimated by the departments concerned but it is approximately calculated to the tune of Rs 5 lakh.
Panjim police have summoned five persons, including Harish Melvani, Dharmesh Saglani and three others on Wednesday, but they didn稚 turn up. The Panjim PI said they will be issuing fresh summons.
