Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The Margao Police are set to transfer the alleged custodial assault case involving 37-year-old Navelim resident Edberg Pereira to the Crime Branch, Ribandar, amid mounting public anger and concerns over the credibility of the local investigation. Pereira, who sustained a serious head injury while in police custody, underwent brain surgery and continues to receive treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim.
According to police sources, a detailed proposal recommending the transfer has been forwarded to senior officials in Panjim, seeking government approval for an independent and impartial probe.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism in Navelim, with residents slamming the eight-day delay in registering the FIR. The alleged assault occurred on October 22, but the complaint was filed only on October 30. Locals have also questioned how the Margao Town Police Station, where the alleged incident took place, can investigate its own personnel.
Citizens have demanded clarity on whether the crime scene was secured, forensic samples and CCTV footage collected, and whether a forensic inspection of the lock-up area was conducted. Many allege that multiple officers may be involved, insisting that only an external agency can ensure a fair and transparent investigation.
The case was initiated after PI Suraj Samant, in charge of the Margao Town Police Station, filed a complaint on behalf of the State against PSI Nilesh Shirvoikar, the duty officer on the day of the incident. Shirvoikar, who has since been suspended, allegedly used “mild force” on Pereira, who had been detained for reportedly creating a nuisance near Rosary College, Navelim.
An internal inquiry reportedly concluded that Shirvoikar violated the Supreme Court’s D.K. Basu guidelines on custodial safety and the Goa Police Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for detainee handling. Following this, the police sought and obtained permission from the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Margao, to convert the non-cognizable complaint (NC 356/2025) into a First Information Report (FIR) under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
