Mercedes accident: People in Goa stage candlelight march seeking justice

Hundreds of people staged candlelight march in Old Goa on Tuesday seeking justice for the persons killed in the 'Mercedes accident' that took place in Banastari on August 6. 

The people gathered alleged that the police department has failed to conduct proper investigation into the case.

On August 6, three persons were killed and three others sustained critical injuries after a speeding Mercedes rammed into three cars and two two-wheelers while heading towards Panaji on the Banastari bridge in Ponda taluka, around 17 km from here.

After the accident, the people present at the site told reporters that a woman was driving the car. However, the police have arrested a male.

As per the police, the driver of the car -- Paresh Sinai Sawardekar (48), the husband of Meghana Sawardekar -- has been arrested

The deceased included Suresh Fadte (58) and his wife Bhawana (52), both from Divar-Cumbarjua, and Anup Karmarkar (26) from Bandora.

"It seems there is a different law for the poor and different one for the rich. The police have failed to summon the Mercedes owner (Meghana) to the police station for questioning. Had this crime been committed by any poor person, he would have been behind bars by now, but here the same law is not applied," said one of the protesters. 

Saddened and enraged at the death of fellow villagers -- who were killed in this accident-- hundreds of people from Divar village in Goa had last week gathered outside the police station demanding the arrest of Meghana, the owner of the car, claiming that she was driving the car, and not her husband, when the accident took place. 

People alleged that the police are trying to compromise the case as the owner of the Mercedes is the relative of a politician.

"The police are trying to safeguard the killer on the behest of political power. Hence, they have not arrested Meghana and even failed to conduct her alcohol test," a villager said.