Goa govt orders magisterial probe into Balli incident

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said the enquiry has been ordered after two charred bodies were recovered from the premises of a factory that was set on fire by a violent mob.
"The magistrate will inquire into entire happenings that began on Wednesday morning after tribals blocked national highway and train routes," Kamat said.

Two tribal leaders, Manguesh Gaonkar and Dilip Velip, were burnt alive by a mob when the tribals agitating over reservation in government jobs went berserk pelted stones on several vehicles besides setting afire a forest outpost yesterday, police said.

The locals retaliated after their house and shops were pelted with stones following which they burned down a factory owned by a tribal leader, they said.

Meanwhile, the United Tribal Alliances Association (UTAA), which spearheaded the protests, today alleged that both the youths were thrown in fire in presence of police.

"These youths were running away when they were knocked down by police and later local goons threw them in fire," UTAA leader Ramesh Tawadkar said.

Former cooperation minister and UTAA president, Prakash Velip, has demanded that the police officers who he alleged remained mute spectators to the incident should be suspended from service.