Sleuths search Sanatan office
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MARCEL, APRIL 10
A special team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigating into the Diwali-eve Margao bomb blast conducted a search operation at the Sanatan Saustha head office at Ramnathi, Bandora-Ponda on Saturday.
The bomb blast had killed two of the Saustha’s members, who were allegedly carrying the explosives to be planted at a Narkasur effigy competition in Margao.
Since then, the organization has been under suspicion and its alleged link in the blast is under investigation. The state government later handed over the case to the NIA.
According to reports, the NIA team, headed by Superintendent of Police S Vijayanan and accompanied by Deputy Superintendent S Bakshi, Police Inspector J S Rautela and members of the Goa Police, went to the Saustha head office at about 12.30 pm and were stationed there for over six hours.
During the course of its investigations, the NIA team went through various documents and attached some compact discs, besides questioning some members.
A search warrant had been issued by the Margao Sessions Court to carry out the search operations at the premises.
The alleged link of the Sanatan Saustha to the bomb blast had caused a public outcry in Bandora, with a large number of villagers demanding a ban on the Saustha.
The Bandora panchayat had also passed a resolution in one Gram Sabha demanding a ban on the outfit, copies of which have already been sent to the governor, chief minister and other MLAs.
Incidentally, the panchayat had also passed a resolution banning the organisation’s stalls at various festivals within the jurisdiction of the panchayat. The Kavale panchayat has also passed a similar resolution in this regard.
