Witnesses called to depose in Balli incident

MARGAO: South Goa district magistrate Sandeep Jacques on Tuesday issued a public notice calling upon all interested persons who had witnessed the May 25 Balli incident to depose before the one-man inquiry commission.
The state government recently appointed a one-man commission of inquiry headed by retired Justice S K Shah into the Balli agitation. Two members of the United tribal associations alliance (UTAA) were charred to death in the incident.
The district magistrate has, through the public notice, urged people to furnish their names with other details such as: correct residential address, contact and mobile numbers to the collector, South Goa district, collectorate building, Margao, on or before September 12, so as to facilitate placing of these detailsbefore the retired judge for perusal and further directions in that regard.
'The public are should come forward without fear and favour, so that an impartial inquiry can be conducted in this case . Those, who have witnessed the incident are, hereby, requested to kindly make it convenient to give their details and depose before the Justice Shah Commission in the interest of justice,' the public notice stated.
Those witnesses willing to depose before the inquiry commission will be given precise dates and time when they shall be examined by Shah, sources said.
The commission will conduct its hearing including recording of evidence of witnesses at Rest House, Monte, Margao.