Victim cops oppose move to close Velim church attack case

On the intervening night of February 25-26, 2012, the police allegedly entered the residence of the parish priest at the Velim Church while he was in prayer.

Colva:  Head constable Krishnanand Rane, one of the victims in the Velim Church attack case of 2012, has strongly objected to the prosecution's decision to withdraw the case accusing the parish priest and parishioners of attacking police on duty.

On June 6, the judicial magistrate had asked the state government to produce the material they are relying upon to withdraw the charges against Father Roman Gonsalves and 20 of his parishioners.

Filing his reply on Aug13, Rane stated that on February 26, 2012, he along with PSI Kapil Nayak and police constable Kuldeep Desai were performing their duty, when Fr Romanov Gonsalves and others formed an unlawful assembly and assaulted them. Rane, who sustained injuries on the head, chest and other parts of the body, was admitted to a private hospital for treatment for eight days.

Desai in his reply stated that he received a notice dated June 22, 2016 asking him to reply to the withdrawal of the case. He said that the law was being unfair to him by asking him for his reply without providing him with any papers of the investigation. Neither do I know who the accused are and what the chargesheet against them is, he added.

Judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) has issued fresh notices to CISF personnel Daya Shankar and Tara Singh, both of whom are named as witness in the Velim Church case, asking them to file their reply.

Shankar and Singh were deployed in Goa on election duty and were part of the police team that went to the Velim Church. Both have been named as witnesses in the case against Fr Gonsalves and others.

Since the police could not serve them court notices intimating them of the government's decision to withdraw proceeding in the case and asking them to file their objection/say in the matter, the court has given them an opportunity to do so, latest by September 2.

On the intervening night of February 25-26, 2012, the police allegedly entered the residence of the parish priest Fr Gonsalves at the Velim Church while he was in prayer.

As the news spread, people gathered at the church, questioning the presence of police and paramilitary forces in the church premises. The mob allegedly turned violent and attempts by the priest to pacify the crowd failed. In the confusion, it is alleged that members of the public as well as police personnel suffered injuries.

Source: Times of India