Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Vasco police arrested six persons after a group of seven youth allegedly assaulted four police staff near Kingston Plaza at Vaddem-Vasco in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to police reports, constables attached to Vasco Police Station were returning from a medical examination of an accused in a police jeep when they noticed around seven youth drinking alcohol and blocking the road with their motorcycles near Kingston Plaza. On being directed to clear the passage, one of the youth began arguing with the constable on duty.
At the same time, Police Sub-Inspector Mayur Sawant, who had just returned from Tamil Nadu, was proceeding in the same direction along with constables Naresh Gaikwad and Rohan Shetye in civil clothes. On noticing the argument, they stopped at the spot. Constable Gaikwad introduced himself as a policeman and told the group not to argue with uniformed staff. This intervention further angered the youth, who allegedly assaulted the police personnel.
During the confrontation, constable Gaikwad was attacked and sustained injuries. When other constables, including Rohan Khandolkar and Ganesh Gaonkar, attempted to assist their colleague, they too were allegedly pushed and assaulted by the mob. In the scuffle, the situation reportedly began to spiral out of control.
The police driver then alerted the PCR team for urgent assistance. Shortly after, the ‘Robert 44’ PCR vehicle reached the site, but the mob allegedly manhandled one of the constables who alighted from the vehicle. Another youth is reported to have abused the uniformed staff.
All injured staff were later referred to Sub-District Hospital, Chicalim. The incident was partially captured on a mobile phone, which police say will form part of the investigation.
Following the complaint lodged by constable Rohan Khandolkar, Vasco police registered an offence under Sections 121, 132, 115(2), 352, 189 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for offences relating to unlawful assembly, assault or use of criminal force, voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty, and abuse of public servants.
Two youth, Sanjay Kharbantal and Raj Tarkar, were apprehended at the spot and placed under arrest. Police later arrested four more accused, Amit Kamat, Shrikant Rathod, Rahul Karabi and Samir Maniyar.
Kharbantal and Tarkar were produced before the JMFC and remanded to two days in police custody.
The case is being investigated by Vasco police under the supervision of Vasco Police Inspector Vaibhav Naik and the guidance of Mormugao DySP Gurudas Kadam.
