Police partiality in nabbing goons led to riots: NCP

Panaji, Feb 21 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today blamed the police for February 19 night riots and attack on the Panjim police station, saying it was due to their partiality in arresting the goons involved in a gang war.

Had the police arrested the people involved in criminal attack on the supporters of Taleigao constituency MLA Antasio (Babush) Monserrate or suspeded the officer for inaction, it would not have prompted Mr Monserrate to organise the protest rally, NCP spokesperson and general secretary Surendra Furtado said in a release here.

He said the attack on the police headquarters was a culmination of a series of one-sided actions by the police.

Any MLA would go to the police station if his supporter was arrested or harassed, said Mr Furtado, justifying Mr Monserrate's visit to the police station.

He said the police claim that the attack was premeditated because rioters had come with vanload of stones was 'disputable' since no stones was found at the site.

Mr Furtado pointed out that the police attack on those who barged into the police station and assaulted the cops was 'understandable' considering that their own safety was at stake.

''But the manner in which police subsequently ransacked Mr Monserrate's property and savagely beat up the family, including Mayor of Panjim Tony Rodrigues, is beyond logic, he said.

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