Clash on proposed IIT: Goa Cong leaders booked over violence

Goa Police on Thursday filed casesagainst several local Congress leaders and social activists aday after violence broke out in the state's Sattari tehsilover the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campusat the nearby Shel-Melauli village, an official said.

The protest against the proposed IIT campus had takena violent turn on Wednesday with the local protesters hurlingstones and the police responding with lathicharge.

''The Valpoi police booked Congress's Goa unit generalsecretary Sankalp Amonkar, party's Valpoi block presidentDasharath Mandrekar, the block's women's cell chief RoshanDesai and social activists Rama Kankonkar, Ranjeet Rane andothers for allegedly instigating the crowd,'' a senior policeofficial said.

At least 12 policemen and several villagers of Shel-Melaulim were injured during the clash on Wednesday when thelatter stopped the cops from entering the village.

The villagers were opposing the demarcation of theirland for proposed IIT project in Shel-Melaulim village locatedaround 10 kms from Valpoi town.

Several villagers had later marched to Valpoi townseeking suspension of Police Inspector Sagar Ekoskar, accusinghim of stomping on an elderly woman's chest during the clash.

As the situation in Valpoi town remained tense onThursday, security had been stepped up there.

A high-level meeting, chaired by Director General ofPolice Mukesh Kumar Meena, was held in the town.

In Panaji, several Congress leaders, including Leaderof Opposition Digambar Kamat, Goa Pradesh Congress Committeechief Girish Chodankar, Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committeepresident Pratima Coutinho, Goa Pradesh Youth CongressCommittee chief Varad Mardolkar, protested outside policeheadquarters.

The party demanded that Ekoskar be dismissed fromservice and all the cases filed against the political leadersand social activists in connection with the IIT case bewithdrawn.

A police official said that the land demarcation workat Shel-Melauli village was suspended temporarily on Thursdayas per the government's orders.

The villagers are opposing the project, claiming thatit would rob away their precious lands.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had on Wednesday saidthat the state government will go ahead with the project,notwithstanding the opposition..