Assault case: No politician named in activist Kankonkar's statement, say Goa police

Panaji, Oct 6 (PTI) Goa police on Monday said social activist Rama Kankonkar, who was brutally assaulted by seven persons last month, has not named any politician in his statement.

Talking to reporters, Superintendent of Police (North) Rahul Gupta said the Panaji police had last week recorded Kankonkar's statement at Goa Medical College and Hospital, where he has been admitted after the attack on September 18.

Kankonkar named one of the accused and described two other accused who were involved in the attack, he said.

Asked whether Kankonkar had named any politician, the senior official replied in the negative and said the investigation is still underway.

Kankonkar was assaulted by a group of men at Caranzalem near Panaji on September 18. Police have arrested seven people in connection with the assault, and they are currently in the Central Jail at Colvale.

Social activists in the state have been alleging that he was assaulted at the direction of a political mastermind.

The SP said, "The victim's statement holds a lot of importance for the investigation. It gives a first-hand description of the accused involved and the sequence of events that unfolded during the offence." By corroborating the statement with other available evidence, the police can present a strong case in the court against those involved, he said.

Gupta said Kankonkar stated that during the assault, he had identified one of the accused named Minguel.

"He has further stated that Minguel had tried to assault him twice in the past. He has also narrated those two incidents in his statement. He gave the description of two more individuals and said that he can identify the attackers," he said. PTI RPS ARU