FRIDAY, JULY 05, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: South Goa Superintendent of Police, Sunita Sawant, ordered an inquiry into allegations that a woman was assaulted by a sub-inspector from the Colva police station and forced to lick his boots.
The woman complained to the Margao police station on Tuesday July 2, and was sent to the South Goa District Hospital for a medical examination. The medical report is awaited, but sources indicated visible bruises on her body.
SP Sunita Sawant confirmed that an inquiry is underway. Meanwhile, Colva police have denied any such incident occurring at their station or having received any related complaints.
Advocate's Account
The woman's advocate, Stanley Rodrigues, stated that the incident occurred at Utorda on June 19. He explained that the woman’s husband and a friend had an accident with a truck and settled the matter amicably.
However, the truck driver later called them back to the accident spot, where two uniformed police constables allegedly assaulted her husband with a baseball bat, and PSI Shirodkar allegedly assaulted the woman, pushing her by the chest and forcing her to kneel and lick his shoes.
Medical and legal proceedings
After the assault, On June 19, the woman and her husband were taken to the district hospital by Verna police, where the husband received medical attention, but the woman did not. She was then taken to the Cansaulim Health Centre, and later, arrested by the Verna police.
Adv Rodrigues questioned why PSI Shirodkar was present at Utorda, which is outside Colva police station's jurisdiction, and highlighted procedural lapses in the arrest – “Women cannot be arrested after sunset and before sunrise. There are other lapses in this case, and no cognisable offence can be made out,” said Rodrigues.
Meanwhile, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas had alleged that a woman from his constituency was brutally beaten by Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Vibhinav Shirodkar of the Colva police station at Utorda. According to Viegas, the PSI humiliated the woman further by forcing her to lick his shoe. Viegas met with SP Sunita Sawant and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Santosh Dessai, demanding the suspension of the PSI and a thorough investigation into the incident.
Verna Police Case
Verna police have registered an offence under Sections 341, 506(ii), 392 r/w 34 IPC. Mahiram Manohar Lal Bishnoi, a driver from Rajasthan, reported that he had arrived in Goa to deliver a consignment on June 19.
He alleged that he was threatened and robbed by Sairaj Naik, Elmira Dourado, and Vincy Fernandes, who forcefully took away the keys and delivery challan papers of his trailer at Utorda. The accused were arrested and later released on bail.
