'Land mafia' responsible for ex-MGP leader's death: Dhavalikar

MGP legislator and former Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Sudin Dhavalikar on Monday alleged that "land mafia" operating in the state was responsible for the death of his former party colleague Prakash Naik. He sought immediate resignation of Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, whose brother Wilson has been named in the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police in connection with Naiks death.

Dhavalikar also demanded a detailed inquiry into the activities of "land mafia" operating in Goa. Naik, who was in his late 50s, allegedly fatally shot himself on Friday in his home in Merces village near here, police had said.

Naik, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly election from the St Cruz constituency on an MGP ticket, was a member of the local panchayat. Naik had later left the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). Dhavalikar claimed Naik was a victim of land mafia.

The former Deputy Chief Minister said, It is not a suicide, it is a murder. In his WhatsApp messages, Naik had clearly named people who were harassing and blackmailing him." The MGP MLA backed the opposition Congress's demand for Godinho's resignation. If Godinho does not resign from the cabinet on his own, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should sack him, Dhavalikar said.

"Two people (one of them Wilson Godinho) have been named in the FIR, but they have not been arrested by the police till now, the MGP leader said. The ex-Deputy Chief minister claimed land mafia members are increasingly taking over real estate in Goa and harassing those who refuse to part with their prized asset.

Dhavalikar said the police should investigate the larger angle of land mafia in the death of Naik. "Just two people have been named (in the FIR), but there is a possibility that more people could have been involved, he said.

Naik's last rites were performed on Monday. His family members had initially refused to take custody of the body after post-mortem, demanding the arrest of those named in the FIR, but later relented..

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