Goa police order inquiry into tribal deaths

Goa police chief has ordered an inquiry into the death of two tribal leaders who were burnt in a factory which was set ablaze by an irate mob in the violence stricken southernmost Balli village in Quepem taluka, on Wednesday-Thursday.

Two youths ? Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip were burnt in the ?Anchal cashew factory?, which was set on fire allegedly by the Balli community. While Manguesh?s charred body was found in the store room on the ground floor, Dilip?s body was recovered from a toilet on the second floor of the building.

Director General of Police Aditya Arya who along with his subordinate officers visited the village to take a stock of the situation has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Arya has also ordered that Manguesh?s charred body undergo DNA test to confirm his identity. Both the bodies are lying in the morgue at Goa Medical College, Bambolim.

Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the brutal violence.

The government has appointed North Goa Collector and District Magistrate Mihir Vardhan to carry out an impartial inquiry.

?The Magistrate is asked to carry out an inquiry into the entire incident as two charred bodies were recovered from the factory, which was set ablaze by unruly mob,? Kamat said, two days after the unexpected violence shook the usually peaceful village.

Vardhan has invited any material or evidences in connection with the happenings that took place at Balli.

Although the situation is under control after sporadic incidents in the last two days, the south district administration has enforced section 144 in the curfew like situation in the region.

One platoon of CISF, two platoons of BSF and several hundred armed policemen have been deployed keeping utmost vigil even as uneasy calm prevails in the village.

As many as 7000 tribals from the Velip community took on the streets on Wednesday protesting against the government for turning a blind eye and deaf ears to their long pending demands including implementation of Tribals Act and reservations in government schemes.

Kamat said that the government has considered some of their demands.

The tribals under the banner United Tribals Associations Alliance (UTTA) had blocked the national highway paralyzing South Goa. The protestors also blocked and damaged the railway tracks and signals, due to which all the incoming and outgoing trains were delayed for hours together.

The peaceful protest erupted into violence after the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The death of two youths was reported amidst furious protestors battling the security forces.

Some 15 vehicles including police jeeps, two-wheelers and trucks were torched by the irate mob, causing a loss to the state government to the tune of about Rs 5 crores. Buses transporting security forces for the incident spots were stoned.

UTTA members have alleged that the police unnecessary resorted to lathi charge and moreover, pushed the two victims into the death trap. Police have however rubbished the allegations.

Two South Goa based journalists covering the incident were attacked by the agitators. Goa Union of Journalists and Photo Journalists Association of Goa (PJAG) have condemned the attack and the attitude of Goa police for failing to act against assailants.

?The media is here to bring out truth fearlessly and not to work under any political or any other pressure, driven by negative forces in the society and such incidents won?t be entertained and tolerated in the future,? reads the PJAG press note.

PJAG members have requested Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and DGP Aditya Arya to personally look into the matter and take a strong stand as far as the attack on media in concerned and punish the guilty.