TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CANACONA: The final rites of the murder victim Vijaya Pagui will be conducted on Thursday, while protesters have decided to continue their fight till the culprits are found.
The decision was taken in a hurriedly convened meeting of agitating people at Rajbagh on Wednesday evening.
“I know and thank each one of you for strongly standing by the family, but I wish if the final rites of my wife are conducted on Thursday according to our religious rites. Also, please help to bring the culprits to book,” said Shashikant Pagui at the meeting.
The meeting addressed by several leaders, some of who prominently participated in the agitation from day one till the protests were stalled for some days after Canacona Bandh on Monday, agreed to the wishes expressed by Shashikant, husband of late Vijaya to put her to rest as per religious needs.
ZP (Poinguinim) Daya Pagui, Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) Chairperson Mahadev Dessai, Councillor Ratnakar Dhuri, ex-Canacona MLA Vijay Poi Khot, All Goa Kshetriya Pagi Samaj President Santosh Pagi, Champa Pagui, former CMC chairperson Divakar Pagui and social worker Dhiraj Naik Gaunkar also spoke.
Poi Khot said the crime of Vijaya Pagui is more ferocious than the one of ‘Brave girl’ raped in a moving bus at Delhi.
“This woman, according to medical examination revelation, is raped even after she was brutally gagged to death. No man in human senses will do such an act and not only Canacona but the entire State of Goa was required to protest such inhuman crimes,” Poi Khot said.
“Where is politics in Canacona people’s protests? We as concerned humans have voluntarily joined to prevail upon the police to crack the case at the earliest,” he said.
The speakers also condemned the police case against 11 activists and denouncing the tactics to crush lawful protests by such intimidation, have decided to strongly come out if any of them is harassed or arrested.
It was also decided to initiate future course of action if police continue to fail to arrest the culprits by Thursday, soon after the final rites of Vijaya Pagui.
