Police likely to close two cases against locals

Panaji: Porvorim police are likely to close two cases booked against 200 to 250 unidentified persons in connection with the attempt to murder two Nigerian nationals and the blocking of NH 17 on October 31, 2013. No arrests have been made in the case.
A Porvorim police officer said that both the cases are under investigation and as police have not been able to identify the accused, they may close the cases.
On October 31, 2013, locals blocked NH 17 demanding that the Nigerians who had earlier in the morning blocked the highway and damaged property, be arrested. Locals had also allegedly assaulted two Nigerians who had returned to Porvorim after they had been directed to leave Porvorim and report to Mapusa police station.
A mob of 200 people blocked NH 17, formed an unlawful assembly and assaulted police personnel with water bottles and stones while discharging their duties. Porvorim police had registered the case on behalf of the state against unidentified persons for unlawful assembly, rioting armed with deadly weapons, use of criminal force, causing damage to public property and Section 8(b) of the National Highway Act, 1956.
The other case is against 200 to 250 unknown persons for attempting to murder two Nigerian nationals near the O Coqueiro junction. The case had been filed by a Nigerian, Ugochukwu John, 25, a resident of Anjuna.
Ugochukwu, in his complaint, had said that around 250 Indians formed an unlawful assembly, assaulted him and his friend with sticks and hurled stones at them.