PONDA: Bhoma villagers on Tuesday claimed that the police have selectively targeted them by registering cases to crush their peaceful agitation against National Highway expansion plan in the village.
The villagers asked, “How can the police register only 22 cases against locals when the entire village has raised its opposition to the highway expansion plan?”
They complained that the livelihood of 22 villagers has been affected as they have to appear for these cases.
It may be recalled that on December 20 last year, the locals had launched an agitation against the national highway plan and the police had registered cases against 22 villagers under Section 107 as a preventive measure to maintain law and order.
The hearing on Monday was however postponed to next day with the villagers complaining that they lost their business for that particular day as they left aside their work and rushed to attend the case as they claimed that this is the third time the case has been postponed.
Bhoma locals accused the government of harassing them for launching a peaceful agitation against the national highway expansion using its machinery by issuing notices to only 22 locals to create fear among villagers and to crush their agitation.
Sanjay Naik, who is spearheading the agitation, is also among 22 locals against whom the cases have been registered.
He recalled that on December 20 last year, the authorities visited Bhoma to carry out a survey for demarcation of trees. Around 150 locals including women and senior citizens had gathered peacefully and had sought for documents with regards to alignment of National Highway Expansion, but instead they were detained and kept at Collem. However, later cases were registered only against 22 persons. He said that peaceful agitation to save the village from NH expansion will continue.
