OBC STATUS TO NINE; JULY 3: The Goa government today included the communities of Kumbhar (including Christian Kumbhar), Teli, Shimpi, Christian Mahar, Kalaikar-Blacksmith-Tinsmith, Pagi-Ghabhit, Christian Barber, Satarkar and Bhandari Naik into the State’s Other Backward Classes (OBC)  list, thus raising the OBC strength to 18. The reservation quota to OBCs in employment and in educational institution has also been raised from 15 to 27 per cent.

MATRICIDE IN SANVORDEM; JULY 4: In a heinous act, one Sitaram Lavu Naik (29), assisted by Prashant Bhaskar Khandolkar and Ramakant Parwar, today allegedly strangulated his 57-year-old mother Anandi to death with a nylon rope. In the ensuing scuffle Sitaram also unsuccessfully attempted to kill his sister Rekha (23) and brother Pradeep. Police sources disclosed that the main motive behind the bizarre incident was due to a family property feud.

NO MORE RAVE PARTIES; JULY 5:Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha today declared in the State legislative assembly that the government will maintain a strict vigil on drug-trafficking and ensured that no ‘Rave’ parties are henceforth held in Goa, while also adding that the police will swoop down on the alleged irregularities at the Flea Market held every Wednesday at Anjuna. Sardinha made the announcement while speaking on the demand for grants pertaining to Police (Rs 36.77 crore, Jails (Rs 1.68 crore), Vigilance (Rs 20 lakh), Home (Rs 9 lakh), Goa Public Men’s Corruption Commission for Investigation and Inquiry (Rs 33 lakh), Home Guards and Civil Defence (Rs 83 lakh), Fire and Emergency Services (Rs 2.94 crore) and Evacuee Property (Rs 6 lakh), which were passed by the House via the voice-vote.

ILLEGAL STRUCTURE RAZED; JULY 6: Following heated discussions in the ongoing assembly session and subsequent dismissal of the petition filed by one Premnath Malvankar, an illegal structure over a nullah flowing in government property at Arpora was finally demolished today. Deputy Collector (Revenue) Sanjith Rodrigues supervised the operation. The illegality of the structure was highlighted in the Assembly by Saligao MLA Dr Wilfred de Souza.

BURGLARY BID FOILED; JULY 14: Nilesh Vaigankar of Sodiem, Siolim, displaying exemplary courage and presence of mind today caught one of the two Maharastrian robbers who had burgled the Sateri Temple in the neighbouring ward of Gaunsavaddo. While returning home from after his early morning jog, Nilesh noticed the suspicious looking duo trying to break open a local doctor’s car. Confronted by Nilesh, who by then got his cousin Devanand Vaigankar and Peter Fernandes to help him, the thieves took to their heels in opposite directions. After a hot chase and a fierce exchange of fisticuffs, Nilesh overpowered the tall and strongly built Sagar Shivram Shinde from Kolhapur. In recognition of their brave endeavour, the Mapusa Police presented them with certificates of appreciation.

ELEPHANT ATTACK; JULY 14: The villagers of Gavlivado in Wadem, Selaulim, Rehabilitation Colony No 1, had a virtual nightmare following rampaging attacks from an elephant that locals believe strayed from the neighbouring Karnataka forest. The wild animal caused immense damage to coconut, banana and sugarcane plantations while running amok during its regular nocturnal visits to the area. Assisted by the villager, the elephant has since been driven into the wilderness by forest authorities.

VILLAGERS THRASH GOONS; JULY 19: Two of the six goons from Siolim, allegedly hired to beat up one Shankar Sawant from Mandrem, were caught and mercilessly beaten up by the villagers. While the other four managed to make good their escape, Sandeep Tamhankar and Kishore Salgaonkar were lying unconsious by the roadside when the Pernem police arrived on the scene and shifted them to a hospital.

HC’S LAND ACQUISITION CONDITIONS; JULY 19: The Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court today directed the State government to acquire an area of 5,10,600 sq mts of land owned by 14 families in the Mollem Wild Life Santuary, under the Land Acquisition Act on or before March 31, 2001. The Court also directed the government to allot a plot of 300 sq mts to each of the families and to pay them an initial compensation of rupees one crore each. The 14 petitioners, who have their homes in Nandrona, have been permitted to enter, cultivate and enjoy the existing crops from their property till their rights are finally decided and till the final payment of compensation is paid to them by the government.

DREADED CRIMINAL NABBED; JULY 20: Bhola Singh (45), a dreaded underworld goon belonging to Bihar’s Saldev Singh led iron mafia, was nabbed by the Goa Police at Agassaim today. The gangster who has a large number of extortion and murder cases to his name in Bihar was operating from Calangute and Dona Paula disguised as a wholesale cloth merchant.

EXHIBITIONIST HELD; JULY 25: One Purshottam Tukaram Shirodkar (58) was today arrested by the Mapusa police for allegedly making obscene gestures at the school girls of St Mary’s Girls High School, Mapusa. An officer with the Mormugao Port Trust, he was caught red-handed by the parents of the school children. Reportedly an exhibitionist, Shirodkar had also outraged the modesty of some students, besides committing other perverse acts, it is alleged.

MINISTER’S TRAWLER IMPOUNDED; JULY 27: News of Sports Minister Francis Silveira’s fishing vessel being impounded by the Fisheries Department of the Maharashtra government reached Goa today. In violation of a ban on mechanised fishing off its coast imposed until August 15 by the Maharashtra, Silveira’s vessel was allegedly found fishing off the Vengurla coast.