TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Tension rent the air near Margao KTC bus stand as residents of Fatorda assembled in large numbers after a local youth was mercilessly assaulted with bottles by passengers of inter-state buses late Sunday evening.
The victim Swapnil Yeshwant Prabhu (24) sustained stab injuries on his upper back and on his head in the incident. He was sent to Hospicio hospital for medical examination.
While the inter-state bus that was smashed by the irate mob was detained, Margao police said some of the passengers who allegedly assaulted the victim made good their escape in the other inter-state buses.
Swapnil told Margao PI Sudesh Naik that he was returning to Margao from Vasco when he was blocked by this bus and not given to overtake all along the way.
The inter-state bus was apparently heading to the city with youngsters from Karnataka, who were on a study tour to Calangute.
As they reached the spot outside the KTC bus stand, the driver of the bus is reported to have questioned the victim, before he was assaulted by the passengers with bottles.
As news of the attack on the youth spread, people gathered at the spot and directed their ire at the bus. The windscreen of the bus and the driver side glass was damaged.
All the passengers from the ill-fated bus have been detained at the Margao police station. Till late in the evening, a large crowd were seen assembled outside the Margao police station demanding justice for the local boy.
PI Sudesh Naik said the police would act on the complaints of the victim as well as the bus driver since the bus was stoned in the incident.
