One held as tempers flare at Cortalim gram sabha

Vasco: Verna police arrested Ryan Gomes, husband of a panchayat member of Cortalim panchayat, for abusing and threatening the sarpanch of Cortalim panchayat Senia Pereira.

The altercation took place during the gram sabha held on Sunday at the panchayat hall.

On Sunday morning, when the gram sabha met, they discussed nationalisation of the rivers and people opposed it. The panchayat body, too, felt that it will harm their local fishermen and will not gain any benefit after nationalisation.

They resolved to protect their rivers. The problem started when the coal issue came up. Few members of Goa Against Coal including Olencio Simoes were also present. When Simoes started talking against coal handling, Pereira seemed to be unhappy with his way of talking. She stopped him whenever he raised his voice against the matter.

Even when Simoes started talking to other villagers, Pereira asked him not to instigate people and also said that as he is not a member of the gram sabha, he was only asked to attend on goodwill basis.

At this, a few gram sabha members got annoyed with Pereira. Gomes also confronted Pereira and an altercation occured. Verna police intervened and brought the situation under control.

Pereira lodged a complaint at Verna police station against Gomes, who was arrested later.