Panaji: Protests broke out in Goa on Friday, a day after social activist Rama Kankonkar was brutally attacked in broad daylight.
Protests Erupt After Attack on Activist in Goa
Thousands gathered outside the Director General of Police's office in Panaji, accusing the state government and police of failing to maintain law and order. The agitating mob reportedly vandalised the office of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here (BJP) and also attempted to storm the premises. Although the Goa Police arrested five of the six attackers on Thursday itself, the situation has continued to worsen as protesters intensified their agitation against the government. The incident took place on Thursday afternoon in the Karanjale area of Panaji, where Rama Kankonkar, a vocal critic of the BJP-led Goa government, was fatally assaulted by six men armed with wires and knives. CCTV footage that has since emerged shows five to six men assaulting the activist, leaving him seriously injured and crying out for help. One of the assailants was seen recording the attack on his mobile phone before the group fled on a two-wheeler, leaving Kankonkar lying on the ground. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant condemned the attack, saying such incidents would not be tolerated. He also ordered a probe into the incident and instructed the police to take swift action. In a swift response, the Goa Police arrested five of the six attackers, all of whom have criminal records, within hours of the incident, North Goa SP Rahul Gupta said.
The sixth suspect remains at large, and a manhunt is underway. The assault has sparked a political storm, with opposition leaders and social activists visiting Kankonkar at Goa Medical College and raising questions over the state's law and order. Opposition Leader Yuri Alemayehu, Goa Forward president Vijay Sardesai, and AAP president Amit Palekar were among those who called on him. The attack, coming after Kankonkar's sustained campaign against alleged corruption, has fuelled suspicions in political and social circles about the motive behind the assault.
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