NEW DELHI: A holiday in Goa is a dream for most people. For a Shahdara family, however, a recent four-day break proved a nightmare. Lawyer Ashwani Kumar Chandrani and seven family members were attacked at a resort by locals armed with a knife, baseball bat and belt on March 5. Three members of the family are still recovering from injuries.The family, visiting the popular holiday destination for the fifth time, reached Goa on March 5 and checked into a resort at Anjuna. “Some of us were having snacks near the swimming pool when a hotel employee rudely told us that eating was not allowed in the area,” Chandrani said. “He appeared inebriated. No one from the resort had told us about such a rule.”Chandrani complained about the man’s behaviour at the resort’s reception. The employee was directed not to report for work for four days. But when Chandrani went out to check car rental rates an hour later, he saw the employee outside with a few other people. “He began abusing me and I took their photos to be on the safe side. Seeing this, they began berating me again and asked me to delete pictures,” claimed Chandrani.On hearing the commotion, Chandrani’s kin rushed to the spot. “Both groups suddenly found themselves fighting each other,” admitted the lawyer. “Only the CCTV recording can show which group took to violence first. His nephew, Jatin Sharma, 24, suffered severe knife injuries that necessitated around 200 stitches. “When my brother-in-law, Anil Sharma, tried to save Jatin, his fingers and veins were knifed. There was blood everywhere. Amid this, the assailants fled,” said Chandrani.Sonia Sharma, Chandrani’s wife, alleged the resort staff watched all this without intervening. She made videos of the incident. The family called the cops and took Jatin to hospital. “Though I submitted a four-page complaint to police, the FIR was of just two lines. Police did not invoke IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) either,” said Chandrani.The family shifted to a hotel in Panjim a day later. They had return tickets for March 9. “After reaching Delhi, we shared the videos of the assault on social media. These went viral and Goa Police contacted us on Sunday. They recorded our statements through video conferencing,” said Chandrani. Goa Police later arrested four persons and suspended a sub-inspector.Chandrani refuted allegations that his family had provoked the locals by throwing stones at them. “If we were at fault, why did the resort ask the employee not to report for work for four days? It was a planned attack with the man’s armed accomplices arriving within a few minutes,” he insisted.The incident has left the family shaken. Sonia said, “We won’t go to Goa to follow up this case because we fear for our safety. Whenever I see the attack videos, I become anxious.”
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/family-recounts-how-goa-trip-quickly-turned-into-nightmare/articleshow/98640821.cms
