In a shocking incident, a 63-year old man was allegedly beaten to death by un identified persons at Varchawada, Morjim, on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Umakant Khot, a tenant residing on a property in the area. According to reports, the property where Khot was a tenant had recently been sold by the landlord without his knowledge. Following the sale, Khot had repeated ly lodged complaints against ongoing hill-cutting activities at the site, raising both environmental and tenancy-re lated concerns.
Sources said that earlier in the day, Khot had filed yet an other complaint on illegal hill cutting and had visited the site around noon. An altercation is believed to have taken place between him and two men working at the property. A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that a Talathi who had gone for a site inspection noticed JCB machines cutting the hill and instructed the workers to stop the activity. However, as the Talathi was returning, he reportedly saw Khot lying unconscious on the ground. The official immedi ately informed Khot’s family and called the police control room. Family members stated that two men in black T-shirts approached them in the afternoon, claiming that Khot was lying on the plateau. Villagers alleged that Khot had been assaulted and killed on the hilltop, and that his body had been dumped face-down on a flat area to make it appear as though he had fallen. Khot was rushed to the Tuem Community Centre, where he was declared dead. Speaking to reporters, Rajan Gawade, Khot’s nephew, said the family would not accept the body until the accused were arrested. “My uncle had lodged a complaint against hill cutting around seven months back. The complaint copy was given to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Depart ment and the Mamlatdar. But as the hill cutting was going on, he had gone to see. However, he was beaten up by the labourers. We will not accept the body until and unless the accused are arrested,” he said. Residents also expressed anger that the 108 ambulance arrived without using its siren, which they found suspi cious. They questioned why it had come in “silent mode” to retrieve the body. Locals further pointed out that in recent months, ten anted cashew plantations in Pernem taluka have been set ablaze by miscreants to erase evidence of illegal hill cutting. With land prices in the area soaring—reportedly starting at around ₹1 lakh per square metre—there have been growing attempts to displace tenants and sell prop erties for profit. Pernem DySP Salim Sheikh said that the investigation is in the preliminary stage. “Body has been sent for post-mor tem. Some people who were working at the site have been detained. Sequences are being verified. Those behind the incident will be taken to task,” he added.
