Attack on minister: Goa Police register case against mob for rioting

Panaji, Feb 20 (IANS) Goa Police has registered a case against a mob for allegedly rioting and creating unlawful assembly, wherein Goa’s Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai was attacked with stones.

Maina Curtorim Police told IANS that a case has been registered for rioting and creating unlawful assembly. “This has happened in our presence. Hence we don’t require any complaint from the minister. We have registered the case under sections of rioting and creating unlawful assembly. So far we have identified 20 persons and are trying to identify others,” police said.

Phal Dessai was attacked while he was returning after inaugurating the statue of Shivaji at Sao Joao De Areal Village in South Goa.

Sources said that once the identification is complete, police will start summoning the people involved in pelting stones and mud on the Minister during the incident.

“They attacked me with stones from the back. It was a mob of around 200 to 300 people. I did not sustain any severe injury, but I was hit by a stone on my head and have got a swelling,” Phal Dessai said.

The BJP leader said that he was invited to inaugurate the statue of Shivaji on his birth anniversary. “I was returning after inaugurating the statue when they attacked me. Police were present during the incident and they controlled the situation well,” he said.

Locals from the area complained that the statue was allegedly illegally installed without taking permission from the local panchayat.

“Those who were present to install the statue are not locals, police and officials failed to check their identities. We asked Minister Phal Dessai how this was allowed. However, he said that he would talk on the issue later and police lathi-charged us, when we opposed the move,” a local woman from Sao Joao De Areal said.

“We would have had no issues if they were doing it legally. We need to condemn such incidents. Even officials are not supporting locals,” she said. 

--IANS

sbk/dan