TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Tension prevailed at Muxer-Velim late Wednesday evening after local residents took to the streets demanding arrest of one Ankush Mehta and his family, accused of terrorising the local residents.
Agitated residents gave vent to their anger by blocking the Velim-Cabo de Rama road at Muxer near the fuel station. The road was blocked for more than six hours since 4 pm, with residents demanding action against Ankush and other members of his family.
What provoked the residents to block the road was the assault on a couple – Nitin Zuvartkar and his wife Deepa, by the accused Ankush. Both Nitin, who sustained injuries on his head and hand and his wife were rushed to the Hospicio Hospital for treatment.
Angered over the incident and the failure of the Cuncolim police to initiate action against Ankush and his family in previous cases, the residents resorted to a sit in dharna, closing the main road.
With tempers running high, Velim MLA Benjamin Silva rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitated residents. He appealed to the residents to end the road blockade, while instructing acting Cuncolim police station in-charge, PI Uttam Raut Desai to arrest members of the Mehta family in the assault incident. PI Desai held discussions with the agitated residents in a bid to convince them to end the road blockade, but the people insisted on the arrest of the accused first. They blamed the Cuncolim police of turning a blind eye to the complaints filed by the locals against the Mehta family, saying the police failure to act had only emboldened the accused to terrorise the locals.
It was only at around 10.15 pm that the residents ended the road blockade after the Cuncolim police arrested three members of the Mehta family, including Ankush, son Amit and a relative.
The Cuncolim police personnel are patrolling the area to maintain peace. The Velim MLA said the situation has returned to normal after the arrest of the trio. He said he has asked the Cuncolim police to initiate stern action as per law. Further investigations are on.
