Pilgrimage given green signal later
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MARGAO: Women pilgrims heading to Shirdi on a pilgrimage had some anxious moments on Sunday evening after the Margao flying squad detained the three buses for investigations following a complaint that local BJP leader Sharmad Raiturkar was sending them on the pilgrimage.
Members of the flying squad led by John Fernandes, the police headed by Margao PI Nilesh Rane and an RTO officer examined the documents and recorded the statements before finally giving the green signal to the three buses to leave the KTC bus stand at around 10.10 pm.
The flying squad descended at the bus stand when the buses were about to depart Sunday evening and sought information on the person who organised and sponsored the pilgrimage. The women led by Maya Karapurkar, who incidentally is a BJP grass-root worker, explained to the authorities that the pilgrimage was not organised by any political party or person, but was organised by Sai Mandal. She submitted that the pilgrimage was arranged by collecting Rs 3,000 from each of the pilgrims, adding that the pilgrimage was being organised for the last three years and had nothing to do with the elections.
Mandal member Shaila Kartika told Herald that Sai Mandal is not involved in political parties, adding its members are spread in the areas of Malbhat, Aquem, Sirvodem and other parts of the city.
It is learnt that initially the Mandal had booked tickets for 101 from Malbhat, Aquem and Sirvodem, but only 97 finally turned up today.
