Three back to back incidents in Calangute have led to the abrupt transfer of Calangute Police Inspector Paresh Naik and Police Sub Inspector Kiran Naik. The late-night order shunting them to the North District Reserve Force comes after allegations against the PSI for protecting a club whose staff were involved in assaulting two local youths.
The saga began on the culmination of Navratri when a Goan girl was allegedly molested by two natives of Uttar Pradesh.
The incident took place at Porba-vaddo where Prem Kumar Pandey (30) and Krishna Bhaudev Singh (24), temporarily residing in Candolim, passed inappropriate remarks at her and later assaulted her friends who confronted the assailants.
Another incident rocked Calangute in the early hours of Monday when a violent altercation erupted at a club on Baga's Tito’s Lane. Witnesses reported that 10 to 15 bouncers armed with wooden clubs assaulted two young men who were attempting to break up a fight at the Down Town club. Both victims suffered severe head injuries.
Eyewitnesses claim that the assailants, believed to be working for the club, fled the scene. A huge group of locals marched to the police station protesting the assault and demanding arrest.
Five persons were thereafter arrested, however, the club’s owner Maninder Singh managed to flee.
Last Friday, the beach belt witnessed an embarrassing scene when a group of three veterinary doctors created a ruckus and alleged assault by two staff of a Calangute shack.
Police arrested Jitendra Singh (24) and Arun Kumar Vishvkarma (25) but shack owner Sonia Parsekar denied the allegations claiming the doctors instigated the incident as they were fighting among themselves in an inebrieted state. The doctors, Sonia claimed, demanded more liquor which the staff refused and hence the former instigated violence.
Porvorim PI Rahul Parab is now given additional charge of Calangute until further orders.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has voiced concerns over the recent increase in crimes in the area, urging the government to provide better support for the police force. Lobo also defended PI Paresh Naik, who he believes has been unfairly suspended and made a scapegoat for the recent incidents. He compared the situation to a previous case in Assagao involving PI from Anjuna Police Station, who was suspended after multiple incidents under similar circumstances. “PI Naik has done commendable work, but that seems to have been overlooked,” Lobo concluded.
