Goa minister urges fish selling agents to lodge complaint against ‘protection money’ demand

PANAJI: Following the arrest of three persons for allegedly demanding protection money from fish selling agents in Goa, state Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar on Wednesday urged the fishing community to complain to the police against any such demand.

“The home department has been active in arresting the miscreants. Hence, if any fish selling agent faces such threats or demands, he should submit a written complaint,” Halarnkar told reporters here.

“I have not received any complaint from fish selling agents. But if someone receives extortion threat or demand for protection money, they should go to the nearest police station and lodge a complaint,” the minister said.

On Tuesday, the Crime Branch Police had arrested three persons for allegedly demanding protection money from fish selling agents.

According to the police, Satheeb Ramchandran, a resident of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra having an office at Malim jetty in North Goa, complained about protection money demand from him and others.

In his complaint, Ramchandran stated that three persons demanded Rs 50,000 per month as protection money from him and other fishing agents operating in the area.

“All the accused, who were earlier absconding, have been arrested and remanded to two-day police custody,” the police said.

The accused persons have been identified as D. Kumar Vijay Naik, Domnic Nazereth and Sayad Ali Attar, all residents of the area.

The opposition parties in Goa had alleged that fish selling agents were getting phone calls and threats from London to pay protection money.