When Timblo's are reminded of Goa's history about driving people's patience to the brink. Or, is this one fo those brain waves of the mining tycoons to tarnish the name of the agitators and crack the movement by getting the key leaders entangled with the law? Or, is this the beginning of violence by desperate locals? We can imagine the police hounding suspects and violating human rights by intimidating innocent villagers over the next few days.
-Soter SANGUEM, APRIL 25 Miscreants set ablaze 12 trucks parked around the Timblo Mines at Tolem-Sanguem in the wee hours of Monday, causing an estimated loss of over Rs 1 crore. According to the affected truck owners, over 70 trucks were parked in the open space at the mines for loading on the previous night. "The practice of overnight parking of trucks at the mines is being followed since the commencement of the mining operations several decades ago, but there had been no reports of damages to trucks being caused by the miscreants over all these years," claimed the truck owners, who claimed estimated loss of over Rs 1 crore. This is the first time that such an incident has been reported at the mines which has literally sent shockwaves to other truck owners in the locality. All the 12 trucks were totally damaged with cabin being burnt into flames. The engine of all the 12 trucks and wiring was also burnt as the miscreants reportedly used sacks clogged with kerosene to set the trucks ablaze. However, no damages were caused to the other trucks which were parked barely a feet away from the damaged trucks. Sources said that the cowardly act of the miscreants seems to be pre-planned as before setting the trucks on fire, the miscreants chose the trucks which they wanted to damage allegedly out of jealousy or vengeance. Immediately after the incident, the team of policemen led by Sanguem Police Inspector Sagar Ekoskar visited the site to take stock of the situation and conducted panchanama. A team of finger print expert was also pressed into service along with the dog squad. While the dog squad failed to prove any light in the incident, the finger print experts got some finger prints on the bonnet and other parts of the damaged trucks. The president and members of South Goa Truck Owners Association also visited the site and condemned the cowardly act resorted to by miscreants. "Sanguem Police have begun the investigation in right earnest and are likely to get a breakthrough in the next few days," Sanguem PI Ekoskar told the affected truck owners. Director of Timblo Mines Chetan Timblo, Mines Managers Upadhye and Patil and General Manager Kanekar also inspected the damaged vehicles and assured all possible help and support to the truck owners. Incidentally, the incident took place despite heavy security at the mines at every point. Even the CCTV cameras failed to aid in the investigation as it could not catch footage of the open space where the trucks were parked on regular basis. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Main%20Page%20News/12-mining-trucks-set-ablaze-in-Sanguem/47671.html
