When sleep and dinner had to wait for Churchill

PANJIM: As many as 100 reserve police force, who had finished their assembly security duty for the day on Wednesday never expected they would get another duty call to immediately report at the Crime Branch office, Ribandar late on Wednesday night.  

“At 11pm, we received a wireless message to report to the CB office. Some of us were fast asleep in the barrack and some were about to leave for their home,” one of the police constables told this reporter at the time when Churchill Alemao was undergoing interrogation in the wee hours of Thursday.

The police higher-ups took this precautionary step apprehending that Salcette residents might react to Churchill’s arrest and arrive at the CB office. Three police vans were stationed outside the CB office with personnel deployed in and around the premises to ensure water-tight security. 

“We have spent continuous working hours without a single break. After Churchill is put behind bars (in the police lock-up), we will have to get ready for security duty in the assembly on Thursday morning,” said another, who has been posted near the Old Mandovi Bridge. One of them even conceded that some had escaped from the barrack before they could be called for the late night duty.