Sanatan men get terror tag
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 20
For the first time in last 10 months the State Government has called the four Sanatan Sanstha (SS) members accused of carrying out the 2009 Diwali-eve blast at Margao as terrorists’.
In a written reply to the State Legislative Assembly, Home Minister Ravi Naik referred the four arrested members as terrorists.
“In the year 2009/10, four terrorists have been arrested by Goa police in bomb blast incidents, which took place at Margao and Verna, respectively on the night of Diwali i.e. on 16/10/2010”, the written reply states.
A local court has already framed charges against the four members namely Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar.
Five others accused also members of the Sanatan are still absconding, according to police. The accused have been framed under penal provisions dealing with waging war against the Government, collecting arms and mischief.
Charges have also been ordered to be framed under various Sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act.
Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, the two Sanatan members who were ferrying detonator-rigged gelatin sticks to a crowded place on Diwali eve, died when the explosive contraption they were carrying exploded accidentally.
Luckily, another improvised explosive device placed in a pick up van near Verna did not explode.
