log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY OCTOBER 30, 2025 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 132 Launch of Mhaje Ghar scheme in Cuncolim sparks controversy 2 GOA Mapusa Council wakes up to irregular garbage collection 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Benefits of concord grapes for kidney health A day after suspending PSI, SP says victim lost balance POLITICIANS, ACTIVISTS QUESTION POLICE VERSION; SEEK CRIME BRANCH PROBE; SP ASSURES FURTHER ACTION AFTER FINAL MEDICAL REPORTS THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Superintendent of Police, South Goa, Tikam Singh’s statement that victim Edberg Pereira sustained head injuries after he fell down because of “disbalance” has triggered a huge row, throwing up unanswered questions over the entire episode. Demands have also been raised to hand over the probe to the Crime Branch in view of the SP’s statement that Edberg fell down and sustained injuries after he lost balance. Questions are also being raised as to why the Goa Police has placed PSI Nilesh Shirvoikar under suspension and booked him under the BNS if Edberg had merely fallen down and sustained injuries after losing balance. Briefing the media in the morning, SP Tikam Singh informed that Edberg Pereira was brought to the Margao police station after the police received a call via the PCR. “Edberg was brought to the police station, but he creat- >> SEE PG 3 4 years on, most shops, offices idle in new Porvorim market complex IN SHORT >> 50 quizzed in sand extraction shooting PERNEM: Pernem police have questioned about 50 persons linked to sand extraction activities, in connection with the shooting and injuring of two sand extractors at Porascadem in Ugvem-Pernem on Tuesday.  >> See pg 3 Twin storms batter Goa, disrupt life PANAJI: Under the combined influence of Cyclone Montha and a depression over the east-central Arabian Sea, heavy rains lashed Goa on Wednesday, causing widespread damage and disruption to normal life. >> See pg 3 2 days after getting job, man ends life  >> See pg 3 „„The statement triggered the victim had simply fallen outrage among activand injured himself ists and opposition „„Civil society leaders, who and opposition PUBLIC called it illogical leaders urged AND and an attempt POLITICAL Chief Ministo protect the ter Pramod BACKLASH Sawant to take police „„Critics cognisance of questioned why the incident and PSI Nilesh Shirvoikar was ensure transparency in the suspended and booked if investigation VICTIM’S CONDITION: Edberg is said to be out of danger, but is still under close observation at the GMC ed a ruckus. The PSI on duty Nilesh Shirvoikar tried to calm him down, but fell down and sustained injuries due to disbalance,” Singh said. When the media asked the district police chief to shed light on reports that Edberg was chained by the police while in Margao police custody, SP Tikam Singh only assured to inquire into the allegation, promising to initiate further action. Saying the victim is presently out of danger, the SP said the police is waiting for the final report from the hospital to initiate further action. Tikam Singh’s statement that Edberg sustained injuries after he lost balance and fell down has received flak from activist Pratima Coutinho, besides Congress MLA Carlos Alvares and AAP chief Amit PSI booked for voluntarily causing hurt, disobeying law MARGAO: Even as there’s been clamour to book the suspended Margao police sub-inspector, Nilesh Shirvoikar for attempt to murder in view of the bleeding brain injuries sustained by Navelim youth Edberg Pereira, the Margao police on Wednesday has said a case under Section 115(2) and Section 198 of the BNS stands registered against the PSI. Incidentally, the offences slapped against the erring PSI pertain to voluntarily causing hurt and disobeying any direction of law. In fact, a police statement issued on Wednesday stated that PSI Nilesh Shirvoikar was booked under Sections 115(2) and 198 of the BNS on October 22 at the Margao police station. >> See pg 2 THE POLICE VERSION Palekar. Coutinho has demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant take cognisance of the statement made by SP Tikam Singh. “How can the SP make such a statement when Edberg is battling for life at the GMC, Bambolim? Will any person sustain such grievous injuries because of a fall after losing balance,” Pratima demanded to know. NRI voters’ verification cloud over Goa’s voter roll revision PARTIES URGE ELECTION COMMISSION TO CLARIFY PROCESS AS SIR BEGINS FROM NOVEMBER 4 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Goa, Sanjay Goel, IAS, is set to launch the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the State from November 4. While the exercise aims to update and verify voter records ahead of upcoming elections, it has sparked significant concern among political parties and civil society groups – particularly over the inclusion and verification of Non-Resident Indian (NRI) voters. According to estimates, NRI names constitute nearly 20–25 per cent of the electoral rolls in Goa, raising questions about how the Election Commission of India (ECI) plans to verify these entries, especially when many of these voters reside abroad and are unlikely to be present during the doorto-door verification process. The SIR exercise, to be conducted by Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, and Block Level Officers, will run until December 4. The draft rolls will be published on December 8, with the final list expected by February 7, 2026. President of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, Amit Patkar raised red flags saying “SIR will be an extremely difficult exercise for NRI voters to adhere to.” “The Congress is in the process of appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in maximum booths across Goa. We will keep a close watch on the process. We will also take up this predicament related to NRI voters with the CEO and the AAP chief Amit Palekar demanded the transfer of the Margao police custody case to the Crime Branch with the SP making a statement that has defied logic and aimed at protecting the police. Congress MLA Carlos Alvares wondered why the Goa Police suspended the PSI if the victim had fallen down after losing balance. Many questions still remain unanswered, Alvares added. Compensation up to `40K per hectare for crop loss, says CM THE GOAN I NETWORK Election Commission,” Patkar said. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) general secretary, Surel Tilve, expressed frustration over the lack of clarity on the issue from the election authorities. “I raised this issue in the meeting with the Goa CEO and was informed that they have received no instructions related to the intensive revision of NRI voters’ names in the rolls,” Tilve said. “This SIR exercise will begin in another 4 or 5 days and there is no chance that NRI voters who are abroad can PANAJI Amidst the continuous pounding by rains and widespread reports of damage to standing, ready-to-harvest paddy crop in fields across the State, the government has announced it will pay compensation of Rs 40,000 per hectare for rain-caused losses. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday via a post from his official handle on micro-blogging site 'X', formerly Twitter. “The compensation will be provided under the State Scheme – Shetkari Aadhar Nidhi," Sawant said, adding that farmers will be given Rs 40,000 per hectare and up to a maximum of Rs 1.6 lakh for four hectares," he said. Sawant, who incidentally holds the agriculture portfolio after the recent death of Ravi Naik, also added that the farmers will be disbursed their compensation by December. Separately, Director of Agriculture, Sandeep Fol >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 T H E A PPR E H E N SI O N S „„Concerns raised over verification of NRI voters, who make up an estimated 20–25% of Goa’s rolls „„Political parties question how ECI will verify >> SEE PG 2 entries when most NRIs live abroad „„Civil society groups echo calls for fairness and credibility in voter roll verification Lawless tourism turns Goa’s charm into chaos THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA he paradise that Goa once was is fast being turned into a playground for lawless tourists who treat the State’s roads, beaches and villages as their private amusement park. The latest string of incidents in North Goa – from reckless driving to littering and public nuisance – exposes yet again how domestic tourists, emboldened by lax enforcement, continue to mock the law of the land. For nearly six months, locals in Anjuna endured the thunderous roar of a Ford Mustang – a type of sports car – with a modified silencer tearing DARK SIDE OF TOURISM T „„Reckless driving, littering, and public drinking rampant by domestic tourists „„Anjuna police seize noisy Mustang with Punjab registration after comCOPS SILENCE THE ROAR: The Ford Mustang with a modified silencer that had been roaring through the roads of Anjuna was finally seized and brought to the police station on Wednesday. through their narrow lanes. The car, driven by a Delhi-based tourist, was finally attached by Anjuna Police on Wednesday after persistent complaints of noise and rash driving. PSI Viraj Naik and his team seized the vehicle that had become a symbol of arrogance on wheels. According to PSI Naik, the plaints „„Influencer’s car with tinted glass, modified exhaust booked in Siolim „„Viral video shows tourists drinking, dumping waste along river police had been tracking the vehicle for some time after receiving complaints that it was causing nuisance on the roads. Interestingly, the car, which bears a Punjab registration number, is privately owned but was allegedly being rented out illegally. In another instance, PSI Navneet Goltekar and his team booked an “influencer’s car” found using a modified exhaust and tinted glass during a surprise nakabandi at Siolim – both clear violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. >Continued on P5 10 SPORTS India eyes redemption against Australia in WC semifinal 13 Inebriated BITS Pilani student found on highway, rescued Video goes viral; youth under ‘medical care’, institute says disciplinary action to follow after explanation THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO A student of the BITS Pilani Goa campus who was found highly inebriated on the Vasco-Verna highway near the campus on Tuesday night has been placed under ‘medical care’ by the educational institution and will be given a chance to explain his behaviour. A video of the student having fallen near the road divider and being helped by three other youth went viral on social media on Wednesday. In the video, the highly inebriated student was seen fallen near the road divider and unable to get up, as vehicles sped by along the highway. Three youth were seen helping the student to stand up and, after some effort, managed to get the student on his feet. Some locals also approached the youth, and the person recording the video clip voiced concern that the intoxicated student could easily have been knocked down by unsuspecting vehicles speeding on the highway. He also sought to enquire if they were students of BITS Pilani and wondered how the A video clip shows a BITS Pilani student in an inebriated state being helped by locals on Wednesday. student could have been moving recklessly and in an intoxicated condition on the highway and outside the campus at night. While the video ends with the BITS Pilani student and the youth still on the highway, the student was later taken back safely to the campus. When contacted, Arjun C Halarnkar, Chief Manager of Public Relations at the BITS Goa campus, confirmed to The Goan that the youth found highly inebriated on the Vasco-Sancoale highway near the campus on Tuesday night is a student at the BITS Goa campus. When asked if the BITS Pilani Goa campus had taken cognisance of the matter and if the youth in question is facing any action for his behaviour, Halarnkar replied, “The student is under medical care. He will be given a chance to explain his behaviour as per BITS disciplinary procedures.” To another query on the terms and conditions permitting students to go outside the >Continued on P5 NCB cracks major drug network, arrests Mumbai couple in Goa PANAJI: The Narcotics Control Bureau Mumbai on Wednesday said it has "successfully dismantled" an organised drug syndicate and arrested its kingpin Danish Merchant alias “Danish Chikna” and his wife Henna Bharat Shah at a luxury resort in Goa. A press release issued by NCB, Mumbai said that the operation has led to the seizure of 1.341 kilograms of Mephedrone and four persons were arrested in all, including the kingpin couple. An NCB team intercepted one N Gaikwad in Pune and recovered 502 grams of Mephedrone from him. He then disclosed a storage location in Mumbai where an additional 839 grams of Mephedrone was recovered from an associate Zohaib Shaikh, the NCB press release said.  >> See pg 2