‘Motive behind assault still under investigation’
Panaji : The Panaji police have arrested history sheeter Zenito Cardozo (36) as the prime accused in the brutal attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar.
Cardozo, a resident of St Cruz, was picked up from a hotel in Panaji, the police said on Sunday. Although the motive behind the murderous assault is still being investigated, the police suspect it could be due to a previous enmity.
“It could be a contract to assault Kankonkar,” North Goa superintendent of police Rahul Gupta said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday reiterated that whoever is involved in the brutal attack will not be spared.
“Those involved in the brutal attack will be arrested. There is no compromise. In any manner I will not allow to disturb the law and order situation in the state,” Sawant said.
Kankonkar was attacked in broad daylight in Caranzalem on Thursday last week.
The social activist is currently undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
Based on the detailed interrogation of the arrested seven accused and the available evidence, it was disclosed that Cardozo had instructed the accused to commit the heinous act, the police said.
“He (Cardozo) is an old history-sheeter from the Old Goa police station. We can see his active involvement in this case. That is why we have arrested him,” the SP said while speaking to mediapersons at the Panaji police station.
“He is the prime accused. Three out of seven people have mentioned his name,” Gupta said.
When asked as to whom the video on the assault was sent by one of the accused, the senior police officer said, “It is still under investigation. The phone has not been recovered.”
On the motive of the brutal attack, Gupta said, “It is under investigation, but I think he has some old enmity.”
12 more people placed under preventive arrest
Panaji : The Goa police on Sunday placed under preventive arrest 12 more persons in the light of the murderous attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar.
The police clarified that these persons have no direct involvement in the Caranzalem brutal attack case but preventive arrests have been made to deter them from committing any crime in future.
So far, a total of 23 preventive arrests have made.
“We have examined 14 people. Nine of them were history sheeters while the remaining five people were connected to the accused persons,” North Goa superintendent of police Rahul Gupta said, adding that “we have arrested 12 people from those 14 people in Old Goa police station”.
Gupta informed that “so far a total of 23 preventive arrests have made”.
Candlelight protest in Margao today
Margao : The clamour has grown louder for arresting the ‘mastermind’ behind the Rama Kankonkar assault case and the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA), even as a candlelight protest has been scheduled to be held in Margao on Monday.
The protest will be held at 6 pm near the Margao municipal garden.
Activists along with MLAs Vijai Sardesai and Altone D’Costa met on Sunday to discuss the next course of action. They decided to give the government and the Goa police 48 hours to properly investigate the case.
Sardesai said, “There is a new angle that has come to the case where his (Kankonkar’s) photo was taken while having his lunch and it was perhaps sent to someone. And once he ate and came out, he was assaulted. This is an important piece of evidence which has not come to the fore. Now that it has, one of the questions is why is the police not investigating it.”
Speaking on the case, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas said, “Today there was a meeting of activists which I couldn’t attend. But the activists have decided the next step. We have put up three demands with the CM: the invocation of the NSA, briefing by the SP on the case and the arrest of the mastermind.”
The only thing that has happened is the SP’s briefing. But the NSA has not been invoked and the mastermind has not been caught, he said, calling upon all Goans to unite and continue putting pressure on the government on the assault case.
This is not just about Rama Kankonkar. They can’t take us for granted just because we are silent, Viegas said, exhorting people to attend the protest.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao also supported the activists who met on Sunday to decide on the next course of action.
“It is in the interest of the state that the mastermind who was involved in this is brought to light. There is no guarantee on the police, but whatever decision the activists take, I will support them,” said Alemao.
