Daijiworld Media Network - Margaon

Margaon, Oct 3: Hundreds of angry protesters gathered outside the Cuncolim police station on Wednesday, accusing the police of inaction over a serious assault case involving a 7-year-old girl. The child's parents had lodged a complaint, stating that their daughter sustained severe head injuries after being punched by schoolmates on September 26.

The protesters, outraged by the delay in registering a case, demanded an explanation from the police for the slow response. An FIR was finally filed that same day, but the explanation from the police failed to satisfy the demonstrators. In response, they attempted to block the Cuncolim-Margao highway twice, but the police were able to disperse the crowd and clear the road.

The girl's father alleged that her teachers ignored her cries for help after she was injured. The child is currently being treated at Goa Medical College (GMC) for serious injuries.

The protestors also demanded that the headmistress and the teacher responsible for the girl during the incident be held accountable. They accused the school management of gross negligence, claiming that no medical help was provided to the injured child. The girl's father reported that he found her unconscious in the classroom when he arrived to pick her up, with no one attending to her. She was rushed to a local primary health center, then to Hospicio South Goa district hospital, and finally referred to GMC, where she is currently fighting for her life.

Despite efforts by sub-divisional police officer Santosh Dessai and South Goa SP Sunita Sawant to calm the protesters, the crowd remained unconvinced. They accused the Cuncolim police of unprofessional handling of the case and demanded the immediate suspension of the lady sub-inspector in charge. By late Wednesday, the crowd had not yet dispersed from the police station.