FIR against Alemao, Sardesai, 450 supporters for unlawful assembly

Panaji: Goa police registered a first information report (FIR) against opposition leader Yuri Alemao, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, functionaries of various political parties, social activists, and 450 supporters in connection with the alleged protest in Panaji over the alleged assault on activist Rama Kankonkar.Other names in the FIR include AAP president Amit Palekar, Congress president Amit Patkar, RG president Manoj Parab, Anjali Nambalkar AICC Goa desk in-charge, Sanju Naik president Bhandari Samaj, Govind Shirodkar president Gakuved, and former MLAs Prasad Gaonkar and Prakash Velip, along with AICC general secretary Girish Chodankar, among others.Vijaykumar Chodankar, police inspector at Panaji police station, lodged the complaint on behalf of the state. “I lodge my complaint on behalf of the state against them for forming an unlawful assembly and without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority organised the protest, under the pretext of extending solidarity over the attack on Kankonkar,” Chodankar said.The social activists, political party leaders, and representatives from various organisations staged a demonstration at Azad Maidan, Panaji, on Sep 19 to show solidarity over the attack on Kankonkar.After addressing the media, the protesters marched to the Panaji police headquarters (PHQ), holding placards and chanting slogans against the government. They were stopped outside the PHQ, where they met with the SP, North, who assured them of necessary legal action. Despite being requested not to obstruct traffic and failing to show protest permissions, the protesters proceeded towards the chief minister’s residence at Altinho.On their way, some protesters, led by Viegas and MP South Goa Viriato Fernandes, diverted to the BJP office, where they had a confrontation with the staff. Viegas and Fernandes accused a BJP minister of involvement in the assault and criticized the police for delaying the investigation. The incident was covered by the media.