Colva: Colva police have registered a non-cognisable offence against a local panch for allegedly assaulting a villager during a gram sabha held on Sunday.According to a complaint filed by Arwin Mesquita, the incident occurred while villager Simao Rodrigues was addressing sarpanch Teresa Almeida. Mesquita said another panch, Claytus Pacheco, intervened, sparking a verbal altercation.Mesquita alleged that when he urged the sarpanch to restrain Pacheco, panch Menino Camilo Fernandes approached him aggressively, shouted, and issued threats, and then allegedly grabbed him by the neck and assaulted him without provocation. He claimed the incident unfolded in full view of other elected panchs and villagers.He further alleged that neither the sarpanch, the panchayat secretary, nor the block development office observer intervened to stop the assault.Police have registered the complaint as a non-cognisable offence under provisions related to voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
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