Shaken by the brutal killing of a youth and the attempted murder of a former pancha, a village in South Goa has resolved to ostracise the five accused and their families.

The repercussions of the case are likely to impact the BJP’s political reach in the Curchorem-Sanvordem taluk where the saffron party has often played the communal card to polarise communities in the bustling mining township.

The three arrested for the murder of 24-year-old Samir Mapari of Xelvona village are BJP workers, senior police officials told Deccan Herald. Rajesh Dessai, the main accused in the case, is the brother of former BJP minister Ramrao Dessai. The second accused, Balesh Dessai is also a relative. Vinay Dessai, the third accused in the case helped dispose of the body.

Mapari, who worked as a driver for the Dessais was drugged, bound to a specially fabricated frame, and drowned in the Zuari river on July 31 by the three Dessais. His misfortune was he had picked up too much information about his employer’s misdeeds, more particularly Rajesh Dessai’s involvement in an attempt to murder case in early 2006. Mapari was done away with to silence him for good, Deputy Inspector General of Police Ujjwal Mishra said.

The case took another twist when the police earlier this month arrested constable Shrikrishna Dessai on the charge of attempting to murder a former pancha Mariano Mascarenhas, a business rival of Rajesh Dessai. Mascarenhas was shot at in a bar on February 16, 2006, but survived the attempt on his life. The constable had been contracted to carry out the killing by Rajesh Dessai. The constable who has been dismissed from service said he felt obliged to the former minister’s brother who had financed his sister’s wedding.