Team Herald
MARGAO: A protest was held outside the Margao Police Station on Tuesday by Navelim residents demanding justice for Philip Pereira, who lost his life in a road accident at Nagmode junction last month.
This is not the first time locals have taken to the streets over the case. At Tuesday’s demonstration, residents criticised the police for delays and questioned their handling of the investigation.
Philip’s widow, children, and elderly mother stood alongside villagers, expressing outrage over the car involved in the accident being returned to 19-year-old accused Rohan Rebello, who has since been allowed to fly to London.
Protestors said an alcohol test was not conducted until people from Navelim intervened, and demanded that police file the chargesheet without further delay. Philip died after his two-wheeler was hit by a four-wheeler allegedly driven in a rash and negligent manner by Rebello. The protestors accused the authorities of failing the family and vowed to keep up the pressure until accountability is
ensured.
Earlier in the day, the villagers of Navelim visited the PWD office to press for urgent road safety measures at Coldem. They submitted a memorandum demanding the installation of speed breakers on the accident-prone service roads. The visit followed an earlier protest in Coldem, where villagers had issued a seven-day ultimatum and threatened to block the road if their demands went unmet. Residents said multiple accidents had occurred due to the absence of speed breakers, signage, and visibility around blind spots. They criticised the authorities for inaction and for citing pending permissions as an excuse while lives remain at risk.
Removal of speed breakers on junctions
resulting in accidents: Curti locals
PONDA: Curti locals are concerned over the increasing number of accidents following the removal of speed breakers on service road junctions.
On Wednesday morning, a motorcycle pilot Tulshidas Naik (50) from Chirputem was seriously injured at the Nagzar Curti-Goa Dairy Junction when a four-wheeler travelling on the service road collided with his motorcycle. The accident occurred when Naik was passing from the underpass and took a right turn onto the service road. The impact was such that Naik sustained leg fractures.
Expressing their concerns, social workers Sherli Dias and Shrikant Naik said that the recent removal of speed breakers during hot mix carpeting is causing the vehicles to speed on the service roads, resulting in accidents.
They also pointed out that the four-lane widening project poses a threat to locals due to the absence of proper signboards and speed breakers.
Shrikant Naik has demanded the immediate restoration of speed breakers to prevent accidents in future. Additionally, the sign boards indicating speed breakers at the Nagzar Goa Dairy junction are in poor state, with some facing the wrong direction, exacerbating the problem.