log on to thegoan.net Facebook.com/thegoan @thegoanonline PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 94 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Asia Cup: India takes on Pak in Super 4s today Pg 8 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 CBC 15502/13/0019/2526 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2025 16 pages The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) >> SEE PG 2 & 3 ROLLING RISK: DRUG CRISIS AT CAMPUS MAGAZINE MAGAZ 9 Goa’s unique navratri: Temples gear up for Makharotsava rituals Flavourful heritage of Goan Chouris Highway bites to sushi nights: The NH17 to Miso journey 11 A brutal assault demands a forensic legal inquiry IN SHORT >> Collector assures on forest rights cases in Sattari PANAJI: North Goa Collector Ankit Yadav announced that all 2,000-plus pending Forest Rights Act cases in Sattari will be resolved by December 2025. After chairing the District Level Committee meeting, he said 700-800 cases are already cleared. Yadav stressed that the committee follows the Act’s broad definition of “forest,” including cases within wildlife sanctuaries. Inter-state drug network busted VASCO: Vasco police busted an inter-state drug network with the arrest of its main ganja supplier from Odisha. The crackdown began on September 18 when police seized 5.34 kgs of ganja and arrested three persons -- Dinesh Chauhan (25) of Vaddem, Mormugao; Sapneshwar Gouda (25); and Nilanchal Gouda (21), both natives of Ganjam district, Odisha.  >> See pg 5 Ponda resident duped of `  .39L 4 PANAJI: In yet another case of cyber fraud, a resident of Tisk Usgao, Ponda, has reported being cheated of Rs 4.39 lakh in a stock market scam operated through a mobile application. Laterite quarries raided in Sattari VALPOI: The Directorate of Mines and Geology raided three laterite quarries illegally operating in Khotoda-Sattari on Friday evening and seized machinery worth about Rs 80 lakh.   >> See pg 5 Jumbo trouble: Govt urged to send experts PANAJI: Even as farmers in Pernem have demanded that the government deploy ‘experts’ to guide the lost wild elephant ‘Omkar’ who has been causing havoc and destroying standing crops especially in the Tambose area,  >> See pg 5 WEATHER >> Max: 30.4 C Min: 24 C Humidity: 95% TIDES Low: High: 04:15 10:41 16:49 22:59 Trump hikes H-1B visa fee to $100,000, sparks panic n TO COME INTO EFFECT AT 9.31 AM IST ON SEPT 21 n VISA HOLDERS OUTSIDE US TOLD TO RUSH BACK PTI WASHINGTON In a sudden move that will hugely impact skilled Indian professionals in the US, President Donald Trump has ordered a steep hike in the annual H-1B non-immigrant visa fee to USD 100,000. As the Presidential proclamation that takes effect at 12.01 am EDT (9:31 am IST) on September 21 sparked panic and outcry, immigration attorneys and companies asked the H-1B visa holders or their family members currently outside America for work or vacation to return within the next 24 hours or risk being stranded and denied entry into the US. Airfares soar, Indians flying home deplane NEW DELHI: A shock move by US President Donald Trump to raise the H-1B visa fee to a staggering $100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh) has set off scenes of chaos among Indian professionals and travellers. The timing has collided with the annual Durga Puja holiday season, when many Indian tech workers traditionally fly home, triggering panic at both US and Indian airports. Trump on Friday signed the proclamation Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers’’, saying the abuse of the H-1B visa programme is a At San Francisco International Airport, for instance, an Emirates flight was delayed for hours when several Indian passengers insisted on disembarking. “It was complete chaos… many H-1B visa holders just refused to fly once the news broke,” posted traveller Masud Rana on X. Similar scenes played out in Dubai and other transit hubs. “national security threat”, a decision that came as a rude shock to Indian and American technology companies and also caused uncertainty to for- eign professionals, especially in the Information Technology(IT) sector. Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all ap- Only for new applicants NEW DELHI: The H1-B visa fee of USD 100,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, a White House official clarified on Saturday. The H-1B fee is likely to face legal challenges. But if it survives, companies that hire skilled workers would have to pay USD 100,000 each year. proved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). China is the next biggest group. India flags hike in visa fees, feels will disrupt families SAYS FULL IMPLICATIONS BEING STUDIED PTI NEW DELHI India on Saturday said the Trump administration’s new restrictions on H-1B visa programme are likely to have humanitarian consequences calling it a potential disruption for skilled Indian professionals and their families in the United States. India’s reaction came hours after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to impose a USD 100,000 annual fee for H-1B visas, a move that is set to adversely impact Indian professionals. “This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families,” Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “The government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” he said. Jaiswal said the “full impli- This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families… The government hopes that these disruptions will be addressed suitably — Randhir Jaiswal cations” of the measure are being studied by concerned, including by Indian industry. Industries in both India and the US have a “stake in innovation and creativity and can be expected to consult on the best path forward,” he said. “Skilled talent mobility and exchanges have contributed enormously to technology development, innovation, economic growth, competitiveness and wealth creation in the US and India,” he said. Kankonkar had long been a target of the Tragedy on NH66: 11 cattle gang; multiple theories under scanner mowed down by fish trucks THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The police in Goa have maintained a studied silence on the motive behind the daylight assault on activist Rama Kankonkar, even as multiple theories of rivalry, provocation and political connections have been doing the rounds. But while police claim the investigation is on a fast track and in the right direction, they are also probing an altercation over a vehicular accident between some of the accused (in the present case) and Kankonkar at Agassaim seven months ago. Credible sources revealed to The Goan that a road accident damaged Kankonkar’s vehicle, followed by a police complaint against three persons. The quarrel, initially in the middle of the road, did not end quietly, but was followed by a series of exchanges. The source said Kankonkar was feeling threatened and had accused Minguel of stalking him and uploading photographs on social media.  Sources further stated that on the fateful day, the men spotted Kankonkar exiting a restaurant in Caranzalem af- ‘Rakhandar’ angle under investigation PANAJI: With police scrutinising social media posts and tracking call records linked to the case, sources told The Goan that videos uploaded by Kankonkar on Dev Khapreshwar are under probe. In the clips, the activist had voiced disappointment over the Devasthan’s relocation and criticised the authorities. Kankonkar alleged that during Thursday’s attack, the group threatened him, saying, “Do you wish to be the ‘Rakhandar’ (protector) of Goa? Let us show you.” ter a few drinks. “The accused were on their way back to St Cruz when they saw Kankonkar walking out of the restaurant that afternoon. Seizing the moment, they smeared cow dung on him, calling it ‘a lesson’ for repeated insults and taunts. The ac- Assault fallout: 11 arrested under preventive measures PANAJI: Goa police on Saturday arrested 11 persons under preventive measures in connection with the assault on activist Rama Kankonkar.  Of total 14 persons linked with the assailants, police said 11 have been placed under preventive arrest and will be produced before the Deputy Collector for further action. Police also stated that no direct involvement of these persons in the assault has been found, but the preventive action is to deter them from committing offences in future. At Agassaim Police Station, Parshuram Shankar Lamani (29), Shridhar Shankar Lamani (25), both residents of Carambolim, and Anthony Jose Gonsalves, of Goa Velha, were arrested. At Old Goa PS, eight others were taken into custody, including Joseph Vergies Nadar, Anil Ratansingh Chavan, Prasad Vasudev Sharma, Vipul Mahadev Folkar, Devid Michal Araujo, Latif Suleman Tawai, Samual Suresh Siddhi, and Akash Deelip Vaingankar. Police said further investigation into the case is ongoing. cused then picked the broken wires/ cables (possibly from a cycle or two-wheeler) from the ground to attack Kankonkar,” the source said, adding the CCTV footage is being analysed to identify if a knife or firearm was also used. In a viral video recorded minutes after the assault, Kankonkar -- seen dazed awaiting medical attention -- said that his attackers were from St Cruz and that there was a previous altercation with them. >Continued on P6 n SECOND INCIDENT IN A WEEK IN CANACONA n LOCALS BLAME POLICE FOR FAILING TO ACT THE GOAN I NETWORK CANACONA As many as 11 cattle were mowed down by two speeding fish-laden vehicles plying in opposite directions on the NH66 highway at Dapot-Maxem in Loliem-Polem in the wee hours of Saturday. This is the second incident in Canacona taluka in a week where vehicles have mowed down cattle on the road, prompting locals to blame police teams on night patrol for failing to drive away the cattle from the highway. According to sources, the cattle had squatted in the middle of the highway at Madditolop in Dapot-Maxem, just near a petrol station. “It was about 4.30 am on Saturday when two fish-laden vehicles plying in opposite directions mowed down the cattle from both sides, killing 11 of them on the spot,” said a source. Petrol pump attendants on duty reportedly saw both vehi- Carcasses of cattle on the road side at Loliem after they were killed by speeding vehicles. cles speed away, one towards Margao and another towards Karwar. It is suspected that the drivers of both fish vehicles may have been blinded by the headlights and had failed to see the cattle on the road. Sometime later, news spread in the area, and locals rushed to the site and moved all the dead cattle by the side of the highway. Later in the day, former Loliem-Polem sarpanch and panch Ajit alias Ajay Lolienkar engaged his JCB to excavate pits and buried all the eleven cattle near the site of the incident. Locals blamed police teams on night patrol for failing to drive away the cattle from the highway. “Many times, these police patrol teams just park their vehicle by the roadside and return to the barracks early in the morning. Else, if these police vehicles are moving on the road, why can’t they see the cattle lying in the middle of the road,” asked a resident, Santan Da Costa. >Continued on P6 GCA moves HC against Cyber attack leaves key European airports in turmoil Dessai’s BCCI candidacy PTI THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the BCCI Electoral Officer’s decision to accept Rohan Gauns Dessai as its representative for the forthcoming BCCI elections. Earlier this week, the BCCI accepted Dessai’s nomination to represent the GCA at the annual general body meeting. In the GCA’s internal vote, Dessai got five votes while Vipul Phadke received two. However, amid opposition to Dessai, the GCA president and secretary refrained from forwarding any names to the BCCI. The nomination was eventually sent by the joint secretary, with all signatures attached, and accepted. The row over Dessai’s nomination follows factional differences within the GCA and the recent internal elections. Last Friday, following the High Court’s intervention, the GCA convened a meeting of its managing committee to finalise its representative for the BCCI’s Apex Council elections. The BCCI polls, scheduled for Sept 28, will elect 5 members to the Apex Council. BRUSSELS cyber attack targeting check-in and boarding systems has snarled air traffic and caused delays at some of Europe’s top airports, officials said on Saturday. The Brussels airport says the attack means that only manual check-in and boarding were possible there, and the incident was having a large impact on flight schedules. There was a cyber attack on Friday night, against the service provider for the check-in and boarding systems affecting several European airports, including Brussels Airport, it said in a statement. A No adverse impact on Indian airports: Govt NEW DELHI: Indian airports have not faced any adverse impact so far in relation to the cyber attack on systems used at various European airports, a senior government official said on Saturday. Following the cyber attack issue at various European airports, authorities took an update about the operations at Indian airports, the Authorities at Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport said a service provider for passenger handling systems was government official said. There has been no adverse impact on Indian airports till now in relation to the European cyber security incident. According to the official, Collins MUSE application is mainly used in European countries and only some European airports have been impacted so far. attacked on Friday evening, prompting airport operators to cut off connections to the systems. London Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest, said a technical issue affected a service provider for check-in and boarding systems. Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in and boarding systems for several airlines across multiple airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers, Heathrow said in a statement. The airports advised travellers to check their flight status and apologised for any inconvenience. The company’s system doesn’t offer direct check-in for passengers, but provides technology that allows passengers to check themselves in, print boarding passes and bag tags, and dispatch their own luggage, all from a kiosk.