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Violence rocks Moti Dongor l
10 injured as gang unleashes terror
l
Residents demand action
HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, DEC 28
Violence rocked the migrant inhabited Moti Dongor area of the commercial capital on Tuesday evening leaving more than 10 persons injured, including women and children, triggering tension and panic in the locality. One victim, Maqbool, told newsmen at the Hospicio Hospital that the attack came from a 10-member group led by Bashir, an accused in the Margao swords seizure case. Women and children were not spared either as the assailants unleashed a reign of terror on the hillock this evening. While six persons were rushed to the hospital, there were many, including women and children, who were assaulted at the hillock. The Margao police immediately dispatched reinforcements on the hillock by deploying armed personnel of the Eagle force as a precautionary measure. Tension, however, prevailed atop the hillock as women and other residents demanded action against the assailants. A bus load of residents from the hillock later descended demanding that the culprits be brought to book. The injured were rushed to the Hospicio hospital and doc-
The injured at the Hospicio hospital.
(More photos on page 2)
No politics here: Kamat HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, DEC 28
The damaged jeep.
tors attending on the injured said that Maqbool was amongst the persons who sustained head injuries in the attack.
Permit fees of buses, taxis slashed HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, DEC 28
Bowing to the demands of the tourist taxi owners as well as bus owners associations, the State government today decided to partially roll back the hike in the permit fee for the commercial vehicles. The government had hiked the permit fee for tourist taxis from Rs 150 to Rs 5000 and from Rs 150 to Rs 1500 for buses following which the taxi and bus owners had planned a mass agitation on December 27. However, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat had intervened in the matter and assured them that their demands would be met and convinced them against going on strike. Keeping up his promise the chief minister today called a meeting with the taxi, bus and rickshaw owners association, which was also attended by Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Calangute legislator Agnelo Fernandes and Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava. Confirming the development Kamat told Herald the demands of the people were genuine. “We felt the demands were genuine and reduced the fee hike to satisfy the tourist taxi and bus operators,” Kamat said. General Secretary of North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association Vinayak Nanoskar told Herald the chief minister and the transport minister were kind enough to accede to their demands.
Police at Moti Dongor after the violence.
Photos by Santosh Mirajkar
Maqbool claimed he was attacked by the Sumo borne assailants while he was driving a route bus heading to Moti Don-
Minors steal bag with cash, gold at nuptials HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, DEC 28
The taxi permit fee has been brought down to Rs 900 from Rs 5000 while for the bus owners it has been reduced to Rs 800. A reduction has also been made for the autoricksaw and yellow cabs permit fees “The taxi permit fee has been brought down to Rs 900 from present Rs 5000 while for the bus owners it has been reduced to Rs 800,” he said adding “reduction of permit fee has also been made for the autoricksaw and yellow cabs permit fees.” Nanoskar also said that their other demand was that the new fare rates notified in the recent gazette were wrong and need to be scrapped. “The transport minister has assured to notify new rates within eight days,” he said.
HC orders attaching of Dutt’s assets PTI MUMBAI, DEC 28
The Bombay High Court has ordered attachment of two properties of film actor Sanjay Dutt in keeping with an arbitration award passed by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association in January this year on a financial dispute between him and producer Shakeel Noorani. Noorani has claimed Rs 2.03 crore from the actor which includes Rs 50 lakh paid to him as signing amount for an underproduction film Jaan Ki Baazi. In case of financial disputes of this nature, there is an agreement between Cine Artists Association and IMPPA which provides for arbitration. The agreement empowers IMPPA to act as an arbitrator and pass an award.
In a daring theft that occurred in the Holy Spirit Church during a nuptial ceremony, a group of migrant minors fled away with a bag containing gold ornaments, cash of Rs 70,000, a digital camera and two mobiles on Tuesday evening. The value of the stolen gold ornaments is estimated to be between Rs 4 to 7 lakhs. The incident occurred when Maxie Fernandes, a relative of the bridegroom, had gone for the communion by leaving behind the bag containing the cash and gold ornaments on the bench. Suddenly, the three minors – who were suspiciously moving in the church – during the nuptials, laid their hands on the bag. While a minor boy made good his escape in a bus with the booty, the other two minor girls were caught by the people around, before the Margao police were intimated of the incident. One of the relatives of the bridegroom informed that the people had spotted the minors moving suspiciously in the church. When questioned, (Continued on page 2)
Taken aback over the violence in his Moti Dongor stronghold, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has said he has told the police to crack down on anti-social elements spoiling the peace and tranquility atop the hillock. When Herald pointed out to the chief minister that the attack was led by his close supporters, Kamat said the attack has no political connotations and attributed the violence to internal squabbles amongst the groups inhabiting the area. “This violence has no connection with (Continued on page 2)
gor. “When the bus was heading to the hillock, the assailants attacked me. The passengers ran helter skelter. After they as-
saulted me with iron rods and dandas, I fled away for my life”, he told newsmen at the hospital.
Onion prices brought down to Rs 25 a kilo
HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, DEC 28
Goa government today further slashed down prices of onions from Rs 35 to Rs 25 per kg which will be made available through outlets of the Goa Horticulture Corporation. Chief Minister Digambar Kamat announced this relief after holding the meeting with officials. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar was also present for the meeting. Goa State Horticulture Corporation Chairman Sankalp Amonkar said that they have been able to reduce the prices as the wholesale rate of onions have gone down after all time high last week. “We now get onion for Rs 35
per kg on wholesale rate. We decided to pass on this benefit to the consumer by making it available at Rs 25,” he said. The corporation has decided to sell onions through its 348 outlets all over the State and also through 15 vans which covers 240 places. Each consumer will be entitled for two kg onions. Amonkar said that initially onions were available at the wholesale rate of Rs 45 to Rs 51 when corporation was selling it for Rs 35. Now since the prices have crashed further, the corporation can sell it for Rs 25. Goa gets 40 to 50 tonnes of onions every day from Nasik as there is no local production. “Even if there is small quantity of production, than it is consumed by local population without selling it in the market,” Amonkar said. The corporation officials said that the onion prices have made people visit their outlets. “We were having 50,000 foot falls daily on an average but when we began giving onions at subsidized rates, the foot fall has increased to 75,000,” he said. He said that the State government has agreed to bear the (Continued on page 2)
The Sumo jeep was later damaged by the irate residents. “Bashir, Rafiq, Anwar, Rabani and others were allegedly involved in the attack”, he alleged. A woman Shakira told newsmen that she and her minor children were attacked by the assailants with dandas. Another woman Muneera said she too was not spared by the gang and demanded action against the accused persons. She said her mangalsutra has been snatched by the accused and her house ransacked, causing a loss of Rs 1.20 lakh. When contacted, Superintendent of Police, South Allan De Sa said he has directed Margao Police Inspector Santosh Desai to record the statement and immediately register a first information reporat (FIR) against all the accused persons. He said the police would initiate action against the accused as per law. Replying to a question, he said Desai along with a platoon is camping on the hillock as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Desai said the police have so far arrested six persons and are on the look out for Bashir Sheikh and others. He said the today’s violence is the fall out of Monday’s incident atop the hillock. Moti Dongor locality of (Continued on page 2)
Fisherfolk kids to get scholarships HERALD CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, DEC 28
Even while the Traditional Fishermen Rights Protection Bill prepared on the lines of the Forest Rights Act to protect fishermen’s traditional rights at all times awaits the government’s clearance, the Environment and Fore s t M i n i s t r y o n Tu e s d a y launched a new fisherfolk children education assistance scheme. Describing it as a capacity development programme, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the scholarships would be provided to children of fisherfolk families for pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate degrees with major or specialisation in marine, coastal or fisheries management. A total of 91 scholarships are planned initially to help seven (Continued on page 2)
Sir! He will not do it free of charge. Hurriyat is paying him good money for the same job.