Police arrest Banjo for murder

Margao/Cuncolim: The Cuncolim police on Thursday arrested Lawrence Banjo, a native of Jharkhand, on charges of murdering 35-year-old Sumit Topno, also from Jharkhand, at Subdolem, Barcem, following a tiff over a petty issue.Police sources told TOI that both the accused and the deceased worked at the site of a basalt stone quarry and were staying in a nearby house. Police said the incident occurred between 5 am and 6 am on Thursday."It appears that the accused and the victim picked up a quarrel over some petty issue. On Thursday morning, Banjo set ablaze the house belonging to Pandhari Velip, where the accused and the other labourers, including the victim, were staying. Thereafter, an altercation ensued between Banjo and Topno, and in a fit of rage, Banjo hit Topno on his head with an iron rod," South Goa SP Shekhar Prabhudessai said. Topno died on the spot. The manager of the quarry, Hilarious Julius Aind, informed the police about the incident, following which the Cuncolim police rushed to the site. Banjo was arrested under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.Cuncolim police are conducting further investigations into the case.