Arrested mid-way through a press conference; Goa Opposition cries foul

Panaji: The Opposition in Goa has accused the BJP-led coalition government in the state of "stifling democracy", a day after three persons were arrested by the police in North Goa's Melaulim village, mid-way through a press conference called to oppose land acquisition procedures for the upcoming IIT-Goa campus project.

The three villagers from Melaulim village, located in the Sattari sub district, namely Shubham Shivolkar, Pandurang Shivolkar and Ram Melekar were arrested for violation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in course of their press conference, taken to the local police station and later release on a bond by the North Goa district police.

"Will the Director General of Police explain what warranted the police to arrest the citizens of Sattari who were holding a peaceful press conference? It is the duty of the police to protect the people and not to come under pressure from various power centres," Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat told reporters, accusing the police of "high handedness".

In May, the Goa government had formally transferred 10 lakh sq. mts land in and around Melaulim village in North Goa for setting up IIT-Goa campus.

The villagers, including the three who were arrested, have been questioning the decision as well as the hurried land acquisition processes which are being put in place by the government to acquire the land. (IANS)

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