BICHOLIM, MARCH 9
Tension flared up at the Mahamaya Devasthan, Mayem, when two groups clashed with each other and manhandled some reporters at the site on Wednesday.
According to reports, trouble began at the annual Kalsotsav, when people from various places had gathered near the Mahamaya Devasthan on Wednesday.
Every year, the Kalash of goddess Mahamaya is carried out in procession and during the seven days of festival, it goes to every house in Mayem.
But the tradition was interrupted since last year, after a rift between the Parab group and Naik group from the village.
Both the groups demanded that they have the sole right to handle the Kalash of the goddess. The Parab group was of the opinion that it is their right, while the Naik group demanded that they should have equal right over the religious ceremony.
After the controversy last year, the deputy collector had stopped the celebrations.
However this year, sighting law and order problem, Deputy Collector Narendra Gad along with the police were present at the site. In the evening, both the groups assembled at the temple and the deputy collector tried to resolve the issue.
As the discussions were going on, the mob got violent looking at the media present at the site. One of the persons started abusing the media persons and attacked the reporter of Prudent Media Uday Parab, who fell on the ground. The entire mob got furious and rushed towards other reporters present there.
In the incident, Parab sustained injuries to his hand and leg, while his camera was also damaged.
Other reporters, including Vishant Vaze, Sudesh Mayekar and Sandeep Desai, managed to save themselves from the fury, as one of the persons from the mob subdued their attack. The attack was such that some villagers also lifted stones to throw it on the reporters.
Later, the Bicholim Deputy Collector was forced to cancel this year’s Kalasotsav due to the non-cooperation from the Naik and Parab groups and also due to the tension in the village.
Bicholim Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat, Joint Mamlatdar Gurudas Desai and PI Harish Madkaikar along with police force of about 150 police personnel were present at the site.
