VASCO: Verna police booked Sancoale ZP member Mariano Gilbert Rodrigues, his brother and five others for assault at a medical camp at Birla-Zuarinagar on Thursday. The case was booked upon a complaint by one Nilkhant Lamani.
According to information, ZP member Nelly Rodrigues had organized a free eye check-up camp at Kiran Niketan School in Birla Zuarinagar. This upset Mariano and a few Sancoale panchas, and in a fit of anger, they went to the medical camp site and demanded an explanation about her interference in Sancoale. They also asked Nelly to close down the camp.
When Nelly refused, her supporters and Mariano’s group started arguing. The scene turned ugly when both groups clashed. Nelly, Namdev Lamani (Nelly supporter) and Preston Rodriguez (Nelly’s son) suffered minor injuries.
“Mariano first tried to stop the medical camp. Later, he, his brother Bulla and supporters assaulted me and my supporters. Goondagiri in Zuarinagar is increasing, and especially by elected members. I will take up this issue and ensure that such actions are not repeated,” said Nelly.
However, Mariano refuted the allegations leveled against him and stated that neither he nor his supporters had injured anyone.
Meanwhile, the clash between the two ZP members triggered panic at Birla-Zuarinagar, after which police rushed to the site. Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohan Naik, Verna PI Shailesh Narvekar, Vasco PI Sagar Ekoskar and other officers rushed to the site, but things returned to normalcy before they reached.
A case has been filed against the accused under Sections 143, 147, 323, 504, 506-ll read with Section 149 of IPC. PSI Navin Desai is further investigating the case.
