Panaji: Two persons were killed after a
factory was set on fire by irate locals at Balli village in Goa during a tribals agitation for long-pending demands including reservation in government jobs, police said Thursday.
The bodies of the youths, charred beyond recognition,
were recovered late last night from the factory, 50 kms from
here, they said.
Superintendent of Police Tony Fernandes told PTI that the
victims were hiding in the factory when it was set ablaze.
"Fire and emergency services had doused the fire but they
did not know about the people inside," he said.
Around 10,000 tribals had blocked National Highway-17 and
also train traffic yesterday pressing for their various
demands including implementation of Tribals Act and
reservation in government schemes. The agitation had turned
violent when police resorted to mild cane charge on the crowd.
The protesters went berserk and stoned several police
vehicles, forest department check post, smashed railway signal
and damaged railway tracks.
In the melee, the crowd also damaged several shops in
Balli village, which provoked the locals.
They allegedly bashed up tribals and set on fire the
factory owned by a tribal leader following which police
launched search operation and traced the two bodies.
District administration has clamped section 144 in the
area. Collector G P Naik said the situation is under control.
PTI
