PANAJI: Lawrence Dias, 34, one of the accused involved in the attack on tourists from Maharashtra at Merces, is reportedly involved in eight different cases.
According to police, there are four FIRs registered against him including a FIR under attempt to murder charge in connection with assault on tourists from Maharashtra. While there are four non-cognizable offences registered against him by Old Goa police.
The four FIRs against Dias have been registered at Panaji, Agaccaim, Porvorim and Old Goa police stations.
Police said that the first case was in 2008 wherein he was charged for rape of a foreign national in which he was convicted and is out on bail, while in 2014 he was arrested by Agaccaim police on charges of allegedly assaulting a doctor on duty at GMC, Bambolim. Dias was also booked for theft by Porvorim police and currently he is in custody of Old Goa police in connection with assault on tourists from Maharashtra. (The other two accused in the case Vishal Golatkar and Suraj Shetye are also in custody while fourth accused Sai Kundaikar is on the run).
Dias is reportedly a known troublemaker in Merces as a 69-year-old woman from Merces in her letter addressed to various authorities including the Chief Minister has said that this is not the first incident (referring to attack on tourists from Maharashtra) happened in Merces in which Dias is involved. This person is a habitual offender and not scared to do any crime, the woman has alleged in the letter, who herself claimed to have filed complaints of assault against Dias in 2015 and 2016. According to police, two cases under non-cognizable offences have been registered in this connection.
He abuses neighbours and others in filthy language and the residents are scared of him as such they do not file complaints against him, the woman has alleged.
She claimed that even after her complaints against Dias, no action was taken by the police. She even claimed that last year letters were also written to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Collector, Chief Secretary, sarpanch, MLA and also to the Chief Minister but no action has come forth.
The woman has urged the authorities to take concrete action against Dias and others involved in the assault on the tourists.