Daijiworld Media Network – Margao

Margao, Apr 30: Margao Congress block convener Savio Coutinho on Wednesday demanded a thorough inquiry into the damage caused to a Margao Municipal Council (MMC) vehicle that had been deputed for election duty during the now-cancelled Ponda bypolls.

Accompanied by reporters, Coutinho inspected the vehicle — previously used by MMC chairpersons — which was found in a vandalised condition and parked in the basement of the Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex.

Citing information from sources, Coutinho alleged that the vehicle was driven by an unidentified individual for unofficial purposes. During an altercation at an undisclosed location, the vehicle’s windscreen was reportedly smashed using a heavy object.

Raising serious concerns over misuse of official resources, Coutinho urged the district collector and the MMC chief officer to lodge a police complaint and initiate a detailed investigation into the incident.

He further asserted that the financial burden of repairs should not fall on the public exchequer, irrespective of whether the responsibility for the vehicle lay with the collector’s office or the municipal council at the time of the incident.