Sanguem: Tension flared up at the IIT site in Cotarli on Monday, after a growing number of farmers obstructed officials from conducting survey work. Four women were reportedly injured as a police force tried to clear the farmers from blocking the route.
The incident brought back memories of similar tension when locals had stiffly opposed the IIT site at Melauli-Sattari, compelling the government to eventually scrap plans to set up the IIT at Melauli.
According to sources, trouble began when the surveyors were on their last lap to complete the demarcation process.
“The last six to end the demarcation process were left and the surveyors had planned to complete the work on Monday. The surveyors, however, were in for surprise as over 100 farmers, mostly comprising women, stood in the way to the demarcation site much before their arrival.
A large number of policemen led by Quepem DySP Nilesh Rane rushed to the site. Police Inspectors from Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem police stations were also present at the proposed site for IIT along with Sanguem Mamlatdar Rajesh Sakhalkar.
When the police team arrived, the agitators began saying prayers and the police could only watch from a distance as they did not want to disrupt the service.
After the agitators stopped their prayers, DySP Rane and his team met the agitating farmers in a bid to persuade them to clear the way for the survey officials.
Just as DySP Rane began interacting with the farmers, the agitators suddenly began singing the National Anthem. Caught off guard, the police team was left with no other option but to participate with the agitators in singing the National Anthem.
After the National Anthem, DySP Rane tried to pacify the agitators and appealed to them to clear the road for the officials, but the agitators were in no mood to listen.
DySP Rane and his team later forcibly cleared the way, but in the melee, four elderly women fell down and sustained minor injuries.
The injured women, Bindiya Gaonkar, Concessao Vaz, Nickel Colaco and Inacin Gracias, were later shifted to Sanguem PHC for medical treatment.
After their discharge from the Sanguem PHC, the four women went to the Sanguem Police Station to file an FIR against the men in uniform, but the police refused to entertain their FIR and only registered a Non-Cognisable offence.
Tension continued to prevail throughout the day at Cotarli village, amid fears that the women activists were likely to be arrested by the police but no such detention or arrest took place.
Despite the presence of a large police team, survey officials could not go ahead with the demarcation process.
