log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 187 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Indian team voices concerns over practice pitches at MCG Pg 14 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 thank you, goa! You've been with us for nine editions, every step of the way We can’t wait to see you again next year! Fugitive Suleman arrested in Suleman backtracks in new video, shifts Kerala, brought back to Goa blame to Palekar AFTER ACCUSING GOVT, POLICE… >> See pg 3 Disability has not stopped this Gram Sevak from excelling at TT IN SHORT >> Filmmaker Shyam Benegal passes away MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who heralded the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with films such as “Ankur”, “Nishant” and “Manthan”, died on Monday, his daughter Pia said. He was 90. The filmmaker passed away at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital due to chronic kidney disease.  >> See pg 8 Former minister Parulekar no more  MAPUSA: Former Industries Minister and prominent businessman Suresh Parulekar passed away at his residence in Panaji on Monday. He was 82. Parulekar was a well-known figure in Goan politics, having been elected as MLA for Calangute in 1989 on a Congress ticket.   >> See pg 5 Sewer line in part of Mapusa to be shut MAPUSA: The State government has decided to permanently shut down the sewerage system in one part of Mapusa city – in Acoi and Kamarkhazan due to technical infeasibility caused by challenging topographical conditions.  >> See pg 5 Police to enhance feedback mechanism PANAJI: The Goa police has geared up to roll out an improved feedback mechanism for citizens visiting police stations as the force is also upgrading mechanisms to tackle cybercrime and ensure traffic management.  >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 31.5 C Min: 21.2 C Humidity: 66% TIDES Low: High: 12:14 23:26 04:54 19:01 n MOVED 8 PLACES IN 9 DAYS n TRAVELLED TO HUBLI, KARWAR, MANGALURU, BENGALURU, MUMBAI & KOCHI THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa Police’s manhunt for ‘hardened criminal’ Suleman Siddiqui Khan, notorious for changing identities to evade arrest, ended with his arrest on Monday. Suleman and his wife Afsana alias Sarika were initially detained at their residence by the Ernakulum police in Kerala on Saturday evening, followed by his arrest two days later. The Ernakulam police detained the duo after a tip-off from Goa Police, which had deployed 14 teams comprising 70 personnel and officers for the operation. The police teams also seized incriminating evidence from Suleman’s residences in Karwar and ITEMS SEIZED IN KARWAR „„Original sale agreement in wife’s name Afsana alias Sarika „„3 stamp pads, 2 self ink rubber stamps „„12 mobile phones; Rs 66,300 cash „„Aadhar Cards, Ration Card, MDL, PAN card „„2 laptops, 1 Tab and 1 typewriter „„2 Hyundai i10 cars, 3 scooters „„16 bank passbooks, 30 cheque books SEIZED IN KERALA „„Hyundai Creta car „„12 mobile phones „„Rs 2 lakhs approx cash Kerala, revealing that he had made huge investments using money illegally acquired through frauds. Addressing the media at police headquarters on Monday, Director General of Police Alok Kumar said Suleman would be interrogated about his escape, videos he released Beef shortage looms in Goa on Christmas eve Vendors likely to remain shut amid vigilante harassment, stock crisis THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assuring support to beef traders and urging them to reopen their shops, beef vendors in Goa may remain shut on Tuesday, the eve of Christmas, due to a shortage of stock from neighbouring States. On Monday, beef traders across the State closed their shops in protest against what they described as harassment by cow vigilantes, disrupting the festive preparations of many consumers during the Christmas season. “We cannot open our shops if there is no stock. If we receive supplies, we will open, but without beef, it is impossible,” said Shabbir Bepari, Vice President of the Kurushi Meat Traders Association of Goa. CM directs Meat Complex contractor to ensure beef supply to vendors MARGAO: Amidst fears that beef supply may not resume on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on late Monday issued instructions to the Goa Meat Complex contractor to ensure that animals are slaughtered at the Complex and supplied to vendors. The late night development unfolded after Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira called on CM and shared concerns >Continued on P5 According to Bepari, registered suppliers from neighbouring States are reluctant to send stock to Goa, fearing threats and attacks from vigilante groups stationed at checkpoints such as Ramnagar and Kanapur. “The Bajrang Dal activists have positioned themselves at >Continued on P5 ON PAGE 2 Beef stalls down shutters in Margao Beef, mutton, pork, chicken prices surge Ferreira voices concern over vigilantism ‘No-detention policy’ scrapped for 2 classes Std 5 & 8 students failing year-end exams to be detained PTI NEW DELHI In a big change in school education, the Centre has scrapped the ‘no-detention policy’ for classes 5 and 8 in schools governed by it, allowing them to fail students who do not clear the year-end exams, according to officials. Following the amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2019, at least 18 States and Union Territories have already done away with the ‘’no-detention policy’’ for the two classes. According to a gazette notification, after the conduct of regular examination, if a child fails to fulfil the promotion criteria, as notified from time to time, he shall be given KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE NOTIFICATION „„A child who fails shall be given additional instruction and opportunity for re-examination within 2 months from declaration of results „„If the child appearing in re-exam fails again, he shall be held back in class 5 or class 8 „„Class teacher shall guide the child as well as parents „„Provide specialised inputs after identifying learning gaps „„No child shall be expelled from any school till completion of elementary education additional instruction and opportunity for re-examination within a period of two months from the date of declaration of results. “If the child appearing in the re-examination fails to fulfil the promotion criteria again, he shall be held back in fifth class or eighth class, as the case may be. “During the holding back of the child, the class teacher shall guide the child as well as the parents of the child, if necessary, and provide specialised inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment,” the notification said. However, the government has clarified that no child shall be expelled from any school till the completion of elementary education. “The examination and re-examination shall be competency-based examinations to achieve the holistic development of the child and not be based on memorisation and procedural skills. “The Head of the school shall maintain a list of >Continued on P5 ON PAGE 3 Bhivpachi garaz na, Suleman will not escape again, assures CM Old Goa police grills AAP president for five hours AAP MLA Venzy loses cool, argues with IO over conduct of probe Politicians, activists express solidarity with Palekar as well as connections with accomplices across different places based on which he changed places. Margao’s western bypass thrown open for traffic “After nine days of coordinated efforts and continuous investigation, the North Goa Police and the Crime Branch in coordination with Kerala police, Suleman was detained in Kerala. After judicial formalities, he was brought back to Goa,” he said. Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Branch Rahul Gupta disclosed that Suleman’s escape was facilitated by exIRB constable Amit Naik, who was allegedly promised money in return. “Suleman convinced Naik to help him flee to Bengaluru. He promised payment once they reached Bengaluru. Accordingly, on December 13, he escaped after Naik unlocked >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a dramatic twist that could upend the Opposition’s campaign against the government over the escape of fugitive Suleman Siddique Khan, a fresh video surfaced on Monday wherein Suleman accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Amit Palekar of planning a smear campaign. In the 1:51-minute video, Suleman recounts his escape and the events leading up to it, stating that he developed friendship with now-dismissed IRB constable Amit Naik during the month he was in the lock-up at Crime Branch (CB), Ribandar. The accused claimed he had confided in Naik about his multiple cases of land grabbing and other offenses, expressing doubts about getting bail. Suleman had applied for conditional bail in one of the I wanted to file a writ in the High Court of Bombay at Goa but Palekar forced me to make those videos. I created 4-5 videos and sent them to Palekar on WhatsApp. He edited and faked... and then made them viral, Suleman is heard in his new video DGP ASSURES PROBE INTO NEW SULEMAN VIDEO  >> See pg 3 land grab cases being probed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT – Land Grab) on December 11 with the hearing scheduled on December 13 – the day Suleman and Naik absconded. “I asked Amit Naik to drop me to Hubli. On December 13, Naik took me on his bike >Continued on P5 Goa govt moves for special court on land grab cases Proposal placed before Chief Justice MARGAO: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday threw open the 11-km Rs 482 crore Margao western bypass for vehicular traffic, saying the bypass is a Christmas and New Year gift for people of South Goa. Chief Minister took the platform to reiterate his government’s commitment to connect the state borders to the capital city Panjim in the next five years.  >> See pg 2 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa government has proposed the designation of a Special Court to prosecute cases investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on land grabbing. The one-man Commission of Inquiry (Land Grab) led by retired Justice V K Jadhav, submitted to the government in October 2023 and accepted by the cabinet in January 2024, strongly recommended a Special Court. In its official communication to the Registrar General, Under Secretary (Law Department) Amir Parab -- on behalf of the State government -- proposed designating a Special Court. “To ensure proper prosecution and speedy trial in these cases, the Government has approved the proposal to designate a Special Court to prosecute cases investigat- ed by the SIT (Land Grab), Ribandar… I respectfully request to place the above proposal before the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court for his concurrence for the designating of the Special Court to prosecute cases investigated by SIT (Land Grab) enabling the State government to issue necessary notification,” reads the communication. The Jadhav-recommen- >Continued on P5