BICHOLIM: Unknown miscreants set ablaze one shop and four gaddas near the KTC bus stand at Sanquelim on Sunday night, in what is seen as a result of a suspected fight between two groups, one from Kudnem and the other from Sanquelim.

It is believed that on Sunday night a group of friends from Sanquelim and another from Kudnem got into a bar fight in Karapur.

Mr Anil Kanakar lodged a complaint with the police that the Kudnem group assaulted him, took away the gold chain he was wearing and also threatened him with dire consequences.

On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, one shop, belonging to Mr Kanekar and four gaddas were set ablaze by unknown miscreants.

According to the police, the owner of the shop Mr Anil Kanekar and the owners of the four gaddas, Mr Rajan Gavande, Mr Yasim Sheikh, Mr Sheikh Ismaiel and Mr Chhotelal, lodged a police complaint stating that some unknown persons set their shop and gaddas on fire on Sunday night, thereby causing a total loss of about Rs 2.5 lakh. They also said that they suspected some youth from the neighbouring village of the deed. However no clues have been obtained from the crime scene. The Bicholim PSI, Mr Terence Vaz is investigating. A fire incident case has been registered.

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, the residents of Sanquelim, claiming that Kudnem village youth were involved in the shop-gaddas fire incident case, gave a bandh call. The agitators demanded the arrest of the Kudne youth, and held up transport for more than two hours, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

The Bicholim police inspector, Mr Harish Madkaikar, with a police team rushed to the spot and cleared the road of the agitators and ensured that the traffic resumed. The agitators dispersed only after Mr Madkaikar assured them that the guilty would
be arrested.

On Monday evening, the Bicholim police arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in a bar fight and rioting, that took place on Sunday night at Karapur. The police disclosed their names as Satyprakash Parab, Viraj Malik, Vishram Malik, Gopi Malik, Prasad Parab, Vithu Malik, all residents of Kudnem village, and Suraj Degvekar from Haturli-Mayem.

The head constable attached to Sanquelim police out post Mr N D Gawas conducted the panchanama. A case has been registered against the accused under sections 143, 147, 148, 323, 427, 506 read with 149 of IPC.