NT Reporter
Panaji
Stating that hooliganism will not be tolerated in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the government will do whatever is required to put an end to criminal gangs and ‘gang wars’.
In the wake of a brutal attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar on Thursday by a gang of assailants, the Chief Minister said police have been given freedom to act against the criminals.
“Hundred per cent of the gang wars will be eliminated from the state. Government will put a permanent end to goondagiri. I firmly say that Goa will not tolerate such things. I have asked the police to find out who is the mastermind behind the attack on Kankonkar,” said Sawant.
A delegation of social activists, including Opposition MLAs, met the Chief Minister at his official residence at Altinho in the city on Friday in view of the attack on Kankonkar.
Referring to the demands put forth by the delegation, Sawant said a First Information Report (FIR) has already been registered against the accused for an attempt to murder. He said the other demands include invoking the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against the accused and externment.
He also assured that the remaining accused in the case would be arrested soon. It may be noted that five of the attackers were arrested by police within hours of the incident on Thursday.
Sawant later met Kankonkar at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) at Bambolim where the activist is undergoing treatment. Sawant assured to provide police protection to the activist at GMC and subsequently at home. “His condition is stable and treatment is on,” Sawant said.
Earlier, angered by the attack on Kankonkar, hundreds of protestors gathered at the Azad Maidan and shouted slogans against the government.
The protestors included social activists, Opposition MLAs and general members of the public.
The agitators later assembled outside the BJP’s state office in Panaji, alleging failure of the government in maintaining law and order. The protestors also marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence at Altinho. However, they were stopped by police near the Panaji church. Later, a delegation of the agitators was allowed to meet the Chief Minister.
The protestors earlier held a sit-in on the two main roads allowing entry and exit to the city, near the Old Secretariat, completely paralysing the vehicular traffic. This caused a lot of inconvenience to people, particularly parents who were in the city to pick their children from educational institutions.
A woman from St Estevam said, “Like me, many other parents had come to pick their children from schools. I came out of the car and begged with the protestors to at least allow the students to leave. But someone came charging at me.” “Why we should suffer. My son is suffering from epilepsy, who will take responsibility if something happens to him. We have been waiting here for so long,” she said.
