Team Herald
PANJIM: Was it an administration sympathetic to the protesting mining dependents that led to the State’s capital being paralysed for almost five hours on Monday? Although, Goa Police cleared the national highway after a lathi charge, locals and tourists were put to great hardship after both bridges over River Mandovi had been blocked.
“We were slightly lenient towards them because their cause was justified, it was a question of livelihood of so many people,” North Goa Superintendent of Police Chandana Chowdhary said.
Denying that it was a failure of the police, the SP said that she and the District Magistrate were consistently trying to negotiate with the agitators at the KTC circle, but to clear the road the lathi charge happened.
She said there was adequate staff present to handle the law and order situation and it was properly deployed. “Whenever law and order situations are likely we take due care. We had made proper arrangements for security,” the SP said.
Stating there are two designated places in Panjim – Azad Maidan and Campal ground – for protests, she said, “We were trying to negotiate with them to shift to Campal because of the numbers but they stuck on the venue at Central Library in Patto,” she added.
“The administration was very sympathetic towards the cause of the mining people and that is precise reason why we told them we will facilitate their right to protest. But it has to be in within the law, unfortunately they did not have any leadership,” Chowdhary said.
She added, “I cannot comment if political restrictions stopped police from lathi charge for long but we took action after all attempts failed and agitators started violence.”
It is reliably learned that certain of the District SP’s subordinate staff did not cooperate with her leaving her alone to take the decision in clearing the crowd. Herald learnt this from senior police officers and also witnessed some senior officers not cooperating with the SP on Monday.
