Velim/Margao: There’s a sense of unease as people in Velim are coming to terms with how in Goa today a 78-year-old blind man and his wife could be thrown to the streets and the home where they lived demolished in front of their eyes. The sheer brutality of this act has made many dumb.
As Team Herald traveled through the area, they realized that the wielding of power is being done against the weak and the disabled.
Only one question needs to be asked Can private property be demolished by non-state agents, using sheer brute force and intimidation, without the authority of any civic authority and the protection of the police, if it was an authorized demolition, the police would have given a statement to Herald saying their men and machinery were not involved in this particular activity at all.
Today there are goons and agents who are kept at the property to know who is coming near or click pictures of the property. After Herald highlighted this issue, another media outlet went to the spot on Wednesday morning where they met a hostile reception and were chased away
Today, Team herald met Florencio Gregorio Dias and his wife who cried and explain their plight, they said today we have nothing, we lived our life there but today we are homeless, our home is not our home anymore. They fear even to speak up and report their story, when asked why they haven’t filed a police report or complaint they said that “we are old can don’t want to dance up and down. We can’t fight against muscle power and goons”
Florencio Dias has demanded that the government take immediate action against his assaulters and also sought a probe into the previous complaints that his family had filed about the alleged forged gift deed based on which they lost the roof over their heads.
While Team herald walked the streets of Velim, locals said “Florencio lived there. They are simple good fearing people but today they are literally homeless, under the temporary shelter of family members.
Some villagers are furious over the issue and demand that the Chief Minister and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and SP South should take the matter Suo moto. The blind man and his wife are under tremendous pressure and due to fear and threats are hesitating to file a police complaint. They are of the firm belief that they will get justice.
Now local MLA of Velim Cruz Silva said that he will investigate the Velim blind man’s land grabbing case and “I’m with Florencio and his family, today they shouldn’t worry about anything, the law and justice will prevail. I thank Herald for highlighting this issue as nobody had brought it to my notice. Even people should not get afraid of anyone or anything”
He said that if the victim approaches him with documents, then he will certainly take up the issue and will fight to take action against the culprits and also will see that the person will get justice.
