TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CANACONA: A major conflict between two groups was averted by the timely presence of police at Avalem in Cotigao village late Sunday.
Reliable sources said tension prevailed between two rival groups of Avalem-Cotigao over re-commencement of certain rituals which had been stalled some two decades ago.
One group was in favour of re-commencing the Shigmo rituals at Sighpurush Devasthan, Avalem-Khotigao, and reportedly made preparations.
The group reportedly took ‘Prasad’ of the deity as a ‘nod’ to go ahead with these preparations which were not performed for two-decades. However, the idea angered the other group from the village, who objected to the same.
Heated arguments reportedly took place between the two groups. In the meanwhile, the police was alerted of possible clashes and a police team rushed to the site and reportedly forced both groups to disperse in order to maintain peace in the village.
A major conflict was averted as the police succeeded in persuading the rival groups to take official recourse in settling the rituals issue by properly intimating and requesting the intervention of government authorities.
