SURAJ NANDREKAR
ANJUNA: It’s been 12 days since the police brutality on the teenage FC Goa fan from Anjuna, but the pain he received has not subsided.
After the FC Goa vs Delhi Dynamos match, Lester D’Souza from Anjuna, along with his parents Seby and Tina were clicking pictures near the fence. Cops and ISL security approached them and demanded they stop and get out. An argument ensued that escalated into an assault on Lester and his family. The assault and the arrest of the FC Goa fan and his parents has attracted universal condemnation.
Speaking exclusively to Herald, Lester D’Souza, who is recuperating from his injuries, said he would never again go for any FC Goa match if this is the attitude of authorities towards fans. There is also a campaign seeking justice for Lester.
Recounting his ordeal of that night, Lester said that from the time he was dragged from the fence and taken towards the presentation area and to the police jeep he was punched, slapped, dealt blows and kicked.
“They were just shouting, kill this guy, let us show him who we are, ross kadya tezo (let’s remove the juice out of him),” he said.
Explaining the sequence of events, Lester said that soon after the match he and his father were clicking photos when a person came and asked them to leave.
“We told him we will click photos and leave as we usually do after every match. But this person got agitated and called many others, one was with a moustache and he also started shouting at us. Suddenly one person started firing bad words. We were scared a bit and that is when my mother came in,” Lester said adjusting his neck belt.
He continued, “They started pushing me and my mummy. Suddenly, I saw one guy punching my mamma and when I went to question that person he caught my neck and started punching me. Even before I could react, I started receiving blows from all over after being dragged inside the stadium.”
He said that at no point did they know that the persons were from the Police Department. Also they did not bother to identify themselves.
Lester said he was wearing a gold chain which is worth around Rs one lakh which is missing. “While someone was holding my neck I realised he pulling my chain but I forgot as I was in pain,” he stated.
His mother Tina said what they had gone through should not happen to any fan. “They pushed me, beat me and then they dragged inside. I requested them not to do so but they did not relent,” she said.
She further said that at the police station her son was unconscious and was just thrown behind the police station without being given proper medical aid, which was required. “We were told he was admitted in the hospital but when we checked at the hospital there was nobody there,” she added.
Lester’s father Seby D’Souza says no more football matches for the D’Souza family again. “We are not going for any match, we are hurt and other football lovers have supported us and decided to boycott matches. We are with the fans,” he said, adding, “In the past we went for every FC Goa match be it in Goa or outside. This is not fair.”
In Siolim and Anjuna, a campaign has begun seeking Justice for Lester by Verla-Canca Sarpanch Milton Marques. Speaking to Herald, he said, “Is taking photographs a crime? For me what the policemen have done is molestation as no lady police was there close by when Tina was assaulted. Police should follow different pattern for fans.”
He added, “When I see somebody hitting my mother my natural reaction would be to save her. If the police were in uniform they would know they are police. There has to be some difference between police and goondas. In my opinion the policemen should have been suspended.”
