PANJIM: It was a scene that the capital city had never seen. The irony of it all was that neither of the main participants –Taleigao strongman and then Taleigao and now St Cruz MLA, Atanasio Babush Monserrate and the police – actually anticipated the scenario that played out. For most Panjimites, it read like a trailer for a badly made B grade Hindi movie, with most watching in disbelief as events unfolded before their very eyes.
It all began after one Ryan Godinho was arrested by the police. According to sources, the boy’s mother pleaded with Monserrate to get him released. Though the boy was not a known supporter of the local MLA, but since he was a resident in the constituency, Monserrate started marching towards the Panjim police station to seek his release. On the way, the MLA was joined by his supporters and by the time the group reached the police station, it had grown to a mob of more than 200, not including the typical Goan curious bystanders that had gathered to witness the drama.
The mob led by Monserrate demanded Godinho’s immediate release, alleging that he had been falsely implicated by the police and also beaten up. The police, on the other hand countered that Ryan had been taken into custody on charges of creating public disharmony.
The mob also demanded the immediate transfer of the then Panjim PI Sudesh Naik. Even as discussions progressed, police say that many from the fringes of the crowd were seen visiting the nearby watering holes and that possibly could have acted as the catalyst that led to the first stone being flung triggering the chaos.
The police made one cardinal mistake – they allowed the mob to come too close to the police station – almost at hand shaking distance. That’s when the violence began. Even as Monserrate was addressing the crowd, a stone was flung at the police station.
More stones were then pelted injuring the ill-prepared police personnel and smashing up the police station. Blood from the injured personnel was later seen at the entrance, a mute testimony to the evening’s violence. The totally outnumbered and outgunned police were forced to lock the doors of the station to escape fury of the mob.
There was no way the mob could then escape from the police retaliation. After being initially caught by surprise, the police retaliated calling in reinforcements, and lathi-charging the crowd.
The men-in-uniform proceeded to Monserrate’s bungalow and when they were finished with it the plush residence had acquired the look of a battle zone. The cops didn’t stop with that, but picked up the MLA’s son.
Monserrate and CCP corporator Tony Rodrigues were also manhandled and arrested, while Monserrate’s wife, Jennifer, who had gone to inquire about her son, was literally dragged by her hair into the police station.
