Pratik Parab
pratik@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Thirty-five families from Xeldem Gawal in Quepem taluka have abandoned their homes and are wandering in the jungles.
Three months back the group of around 80 people, which includes males, females, children and students, settled in the thick forests of a mountain in Molem on the border of Goa.
Mystery surrounds their moving to the jungle, leaving the villagers of Xeldem wondering what suddenly prompted them to leave their homes.
Their relatives from the Gawal village in Xeldem told Herald they had no clue why the families made this mysterious and sudden move to the mountain. Some villagers from Colmorod have also suddenly vanished after locking up their houses. Complaints have been registered with the Quepem police who are investigating the mysterious move.
It is learnt that these families are dominantly tribal Christians. Several school children studying in a high school in Tilamol Quepem have been removed from the school by their parents since the incidents of families vanishing started from November 2015.
Relatives of these families said they did not even return home for Christmas. Their disappearance is now the talk of the village and people are seeking an inquiry into their mysterious move.
It is learnt that some of these villagers have taken refuge in a thick jungle of Sulcorna in Sanguem.
It is believed that people dwelling in the Molem forest have detached themselves completely from the world beyond the forest.
According to the local people they have reportedly cut some trees to create space and make shelters to live. They have also arranged raw material for food.
The Quepem Police Inspector said he was on leave when these complaints were registered with them. PSI Patil, along with his team, visited the jungle in Sulcorna and made inquiries. Nothing odd was witnessed there, Patil said. Some people were seen living in the jungle’s hilly area. “The people informed us they are staying on their own free will,” Police Inspector Pravin Gawas told Herald.
“As a precaution, the police have taken written statements from the people. The Criminal Investigative Department (CID) has been asked to keep an eye on the movements of the group,” Gawas said.
Quepem Deputy Collector Shankar Gaonkar said he will conduct a detailed inquiry and whatever action needs to be taken would be taken after discussions with the police.
According to information, the initial group moving to the jungle in November was of around 130 people. After the police started tracking their movement into the forest the people changed their location and now reside in the forests at Molem.
