Team Herald
PANJIM: The parents of the football fan Lester D’Souza, who was assaulted by police at Fatorda stadium after FC Goa’s ISL match last week, have approached the Director General of Police seeking justice.
The alleged police assault on Lester, a football fan and his parents last Thursday, has evoked strong reactions from several quarters with many calling the incident “unfortunate” and “in bad faith”. The alleged assault occurred after FC Goa managed to come from behind and defeat Delhi Dynamos 3-2.
In a letter to the DGP narrating the sequence of events, Seby D’Souza, Lester’s father said, “Throughout the incident PSI Dattaprasad Toraskar and PSI Raunak Kadam were abusing us in filthy language. Thereafter both of us were caught by another about 10-20 security personnel and forcibly taken to the stand. They continued to assault my son and due to the ruthless assault my son fell down unconscious on the football ground.”
He stated, “At this time we pleaded to the security personnel to allow us to go near our son, but they did not accede to our request. We were then forcibly taken by security personnel to a police control room in the stadium. There were more than 20 security personnel who prevented us from leaving the place.”
Seby said that due to the assault his son received extensive injuries on his face and neck and other parts of the body and was bleeding through the mouth.
“Throughout the incident both PSIs, who were in white T-Shirts, and others did not identify themselves as police personnel. It was only after we were taken to the police station we were told they were police.” The letter requested the DGP for quick action in the matter.
It may be recalled that Lester, along with his parents Seby and Tina, had come to watch the match from Anjuna. After the match, they allegedly got into an altercation with the police personnel who were guiding them to vacate the stadium.
Lester allegedly swung a fist at PSI Kadam of the IRB Panjim who was in civil dress. Seeing their colleague being assaulted, other police personnel who were not in uniform intervened and an altercation followed in which two other PSIs, including a lady, were allegedly assaulted.
Police had booked a case under Sections 506 (2), 353 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code against the D’Souza family members for criminal intimidation, obstructing a public servant from discharging duties and provoking breach of peace.
