Goa police register FIR over attack on minister after unveiling of Shivaji statue

State Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai was injured when a mob attacked him with stones after he unveiled a statue of the Maratha emperor at Sao Jose De Areal village near Margao town on Monday.

Panaji: The Goa police on Tuesday registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified persons for unlawful assembly and attack on state Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai after the unveiling of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a village in South Goa, a senior official said.

Phal Desai was injured when a mob attacked him with stones after he unveiled a statue of the Maratha emperor at Sao Jose De Areal village near Margao town on Monday.

Monday marked the 394th birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj.

An FIR has been registered against unknown persons for unlawful assembly and attack on the minister, Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Desai said.

While no one has been named in the FIR, the accused will be identified based on the video footage of the incident, he said.

There was a heavy police presence in Sao Jose De Areal village after some people installed a statue of the Maratha king, while another group objected to it.

Phal Desai had on Monday claimed that a mob who opposed the statue pelted stones at him after he had a brief dialogue with him.

The minister had also clarified that he would not file a police complaint to ensure communal harmony is maintained.

Locals have claimed that they were not against the statue but opposed the illegal filling of land done to build an approach road to the structure.

AAP MLA Cruz Silva, who was at the scene, had on Monday said that property owners were not taken into confidence while building the approach road for the statue.

"The road was constructed overnight without valid permission," he alleged, adding that locals would not have objected if the person who installed the statue had taken proper permission.