>From John Fernandes, Quepem
That a group of villagers from Colomba, Rivona, Dhadolem, Muscavrem, and
Kevona blocked the entire Rivona Colomba road for over 3 hours today over
the issue of alleged assault done by the ASI P.V. Dessai attached to Quepem
police station on one of the villagers at Colomba today.
That the villagers of Colomba and other adjoining areas are agitating over
the functioning of Hirala and Khodidas mine at Colomba , who claims that due
to the functioning of the mine their very life is in danger. The villagers in
the last week of January even forcefully closed down which prompted the mine
owner to keep the mine close for two days but the mine was again started.
Claims the villagers
Though the said mine was in operation internally no transportation of ore
outside the mine was done. The tuck which were going to operate inside the
mine were going through a road made illegally made by the mining company
through reserve Forest . The illegal making of road by the mining company
through the reserve forest triggered the villagers as no action taken by the
forest department inspite of Complaint . Stated the villagers further.
That from 6th of February through its contractor the mining company started
transporting the ore from the mine through reserve forest via Curpe as there is
no other way out. That yesterday some of the villagers got together and
warned all the truck transporting ore from that mine. That through the reserve
forest the road passes through private property of one one Prabhudessai passes
before reaching the mine , which property has a gate on both side of
boundary. As the villagers were planning to stopped the transport from the said
mine yesterday evening with the help of Prabhudessai Supervisor locked the
gate one both side. They also warned the truck from operating from the mine.
As the villagers warned the truck operator no truck entered in the mine and
nor transportation work was started in todays morning session. Stated the
villagers further .
However today at around 1.30 PM the transport contractor with police
protection with some truck went to the site, the police took the key of the
gate from the supervisor of PrabhuDessai and opened the same , loaded the
truck . The loaded trucks were followed by the the Quepem police jeep. As the
villagers were keeping a close watch on the movement of the truck from that
mine , When the loaded truck from the said mine reached at Colomba one of the
village youth showed his hand to the truck and stopped it .
The police jeep which was following the truck one of the police by name ASI
P.V.Dessai got down from the jeep caught hold the colour of the youth shirt
pulled him and then assaulted him with shoes one his private part and then
pulled him into the police jeep. The incident was noticed by other villager
who were planning their strategies , they then rushed to the site and stooped
the police Jeep. That within no time around 400 villagers gathered at the
site.
The villagers blocked the entire rout rivona Colomba road and paralised the
entire traffic for almost 3 hours.
The incident forced Quepem P.I. Naresh Mamel to rush to the incident site who
after a long discussion managed to convinced the agitating villager and
assured them such incident of alleged assault will not repeat in future. At
around 6.30 the villagers disbursed and allowed the traffic to go. Now the
villagers are determine not to allow the operation of Hiralal and Khodidas mine
operating in Colomba village.
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