Fallout of petty quarrel earlier in the day

Five houses of Kannada speaking families from Hubballi, three cars and three motorbikes were burnt and three youth were beaten up by an armed group of around 250 to 300 in Tisk Usgao under Ponda police station limits of Goa recently, according to a statement made by the victims at the Kannada Sahitya Bhavan premises in Belagavi on Saturday. A woman was also molested but the Goa police was not willing to arrest the culprits, the victims further alleged.

A complaint was lodged in which 42 attackers were identified but the Ponda police had not arrested them. As there were threats of fresh attacks, members of all the five families and many others have left the village (Tisk Usgao). “We are here with a prayer to the Government of Karnataka to ensure us protection,” the victims said.

Recalling the incident, Manju Shidalappa Doddamani (in the picture with injuries on his hands and back), Ramanna Doddamani, Kumar Hosamani and Laxman Hanchinamani, who led the protest, told newsmen that it was around noon when a large group armed with lathis, wooden clubs and rods attacked the Kannada speaking members and their houses in Tisk Usgao on October 15 following a petty quarrel between one of the community members, Ramesh Dodamani, and Goan trader Shailendra Gawas who owned an electronics product shop in the same locality around 9-30 a.m.

The group members swarmed the area and started attacking Kannada speaking members selectively. They ransacked houses damaging television sets, furniture, fridges, washing machines, and kitchen utensils, and took away Rs. 1.30 lakh and gold ornaments which included a mangalsutra. Three cars, three motorbikes and five houses were set on fire, and a truck was also damaged.

Basavva Ramesh Doddamani lodged a complaint with Ponda police the same day but no action was taken against anybody, not even those 42 persons who had been identified in the FIR, they said.

Gangamma Doddamani, mother of Manju, said there were substantial numbers of Kannada speaking families from Hubballi-Dharwad living in Tisk Usgao since more than 45 years. “We fail to understand why such a massive and organised assault was made on our family members over a petty quarrel.”

“We do not what to do, so we came here to seek protection from the Karnataka government as it might not be safe to return to Tisk Usgao,” the victims said.