Staff Reporter
Canacona
Residents of Canacona were left bewildered on Friday after a painting of the Pakistan flag appeared overnight at three prominent locations. Two were spotted on the streets in Chaudi, the commercial and administrative hub of the taluka — one at the central square and another beside the newly installed Shivaji
Maharaj statue near the KTC bus stand. A third was found on the road at Bhagatwada.
Canacona police said that they have taken suo moto cognisance of the incident and launched an investigation. Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar lodged a complaint with the police, demanding swift action to identify and arrest the culprits responsible for what he described as a deliberate attempt to provoke communal tensions.
Police immediately swung into action to clear the painting and prevent any escalation. CCTV footage from nearby areas has been seized, and police are gathering inputs from local sources to track down the miscreants.
Local activist Samrat Bhagat condemned the act, calling it “anti-national” and urging authorities to take strict action. Diogo Da Silva, president of the Association of Businessmen of Canacona, questioned how such a provocative act could be carried out openly.
“The police must activate night surveillance. With so many outsiders settling in Canacona, authorities need to trace and check any ulterior motives to ensure such activities are stopped early,” Da Silva said.
The incident comes at a sensitive time, with the nation still mourning the recent killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sunil Kauthankar alleged intelligence failure with regards to the incident of Pakistan flags being found painted on roads in Canacona. He questioned why the police had not identified and arrested the culprits. He also questioned why the BJP was reacting angrily to his tweet.
