Goemkarponn desk
VELSAO: Advocate Leona Barreto, appearing for four activists involved in the stone pelting incident during the double tracking works at Velsao today, said that they are falsely accused and were not present on-site at the time of the incident.
“The 4 (falsely) accused activists were not present on-site at the time of the incident. There is no evidential proof. The accusations are made merely to stop the protests,” said Adv Leona Barretto.
She further alleged that the activists had been framed to keep them at bay from protesting against double-tracking works.
“There is no evidence, and the accused were not present at the site during the day of the incident,” she said.
Vasco Railway police on Tuesday sent notices to the four main accused in connection with the stone pelting case that caused injuries to two workers and damages to a JCB utilised by Railways for double tracking works at Velsao on Sunday afternoon.
The four main accused are Congress leader Olencio Simoes, Goencho Ekvott founder member Orville Dourado, former panch Camilo D’Souza and Francis Braganza, while offences have also been booked against 10 others.
“We have sent notices to the main accused under Section 41 A of CrPC, and they are nowhere to be found even in their houses. The summons have been served through the Verna Police station, and we have flashed their details,” said a source.
As per information, the incident occurred on Sunday at 12.30 hours near Railway underpass bridge at Pale Velsao, where the accused, along with 10 others with their common object, formed an unlawful assembly carrying deadly weapons and assaulted the labours of RVNL Kanai Sardar and Rameshwar Sardar by pelting stones.
Also, during the incident, it is said that a JCB Machine ( GA 03 R 9241 ) belonging to Manisha Kambli, being utilised for Railway double tracking, was damaged by pelting stones, thereby causing a loss of Rs 45,000.
