POLICE INSPECTOR ANTHONY MONSERRATE, A GENEROUS AND KIND PERSON by Menino Fernandes

No matter what! Goa Police have been tainted badly and a bad picture is painted of the Police force of Goa. But it does not mean that the entire police department is bad and corrupt. Some readers may not like, But the truth of some Police Officers of Goa has to be brought out to the public.  Why should the few good police officers from lowest to the highest grade also suffer defamation for the sake of the bad ones? The truth of how with a smile these officers suffer at the hands of the politicians if they do not bend before their whims.

Police Inspector ANTHONY F. MONSERRATE

There is a saying in Konkani “Ekech Tagdden sogleank Zokche Nhoi” yes do not weigh everybody in the same scale. There are police officers who are selfless and sacrificing type and who use their conscience to run their day to day affairs. There are officers who go out of their way to help others.

There are officers who are generous to the extent of spending from their own pockets to provide food for the accused. Yet there are some lower grade police personnel who go out to make money in the names of these types of officers. Yes indeed this too goes on in the police department.

One of such officers is Mr. ANTHONY FRANCISCO MONSERATE, Police Inspector. He is presently posted at the Siolim Coastal Security Police Station. Anthony is a very generous and soft hearted person. He is a very helpful person irrespective of the grade or quality of the person he is helping. This is the very same police inspector who almost lost his life during the Saleli Satari issue. This incident occurred about two to three years back.

Mr. Anthony Monserrate has been a target of the Politicians for quite some time. He was transferred from Valpoi to Panjim traffic cell within two years of his posting there and it is widely rumoured at the instance of Home Minister Ravi Naik. From Panjim Traffic Cell, where he was very strict in maintaining traffic order in the city, came into the eyes of the politicians and was transferred to a far off place Siolim Coastal Security Police Station, where there is no involvement with the chamchas of the politicians.

In search of the real truth of the incident I had visited the Saleli village at Onda, of Satari Taluka and got quite a lot of information from the villagers who do not wish to identify themselves for security reasons. They told me how bravely Mr. Anthony defended himself and his staff against the physical assault by the villagers almost losing his own life. He tried to save the staff as well as little children of the village.

Towards the end of the incident a 7 year old child flung some powder in to the eyes of this brave man and another one came forward and hit a stone from a distance of 1 foot on his temple and one on the eyes. Though seriously wounded Anthony saved the boy who had flung powder or ashes in his eyes. One of the villagers at a distance of 10 meters hit stone on his temple almost killing him. A brave man that he is, he stood the assault trying to save his staff. This incident caused loss in sight of this brave and generous man.

The Mamlatdar Mr. Ajit Panchwadkar, who was also present on the scene ran away into the mountains, even the SP D. K. Sawant, DySPs, Waman Tari and Mohan Naik who were present there made good their escape into the hills leaving Anthony and a few policemen including a lady Police constable Jayanti to defend themselves. Later he and Jayanti were shifted to the GMC PI Anthony in serious condition. The lady Constable Jayanti was saved by Mr. Anthony without even caring for his own safety and his own life. (Excerpts from archives of the local news papers of Goa on this incident are at the bottom of this article)

Later on when the situation cooled the people of the village realised their mistake and apologised but harm had already been caused. Luckily Anthony survived though later on he had to undergo operations of the eye etc.

The villagers later told me that they attacked him thinking he is Pandari L. Mapari who was the preceding incharge of the Valpoi Police Station. They said it was Mapari who made their lives a mess. They said also told me that Mapari who is now promoted as DySP was the cause of their lives being made miserable.

There was another indication from the villagers that they repented what they did to Mr. Anthony, a righteous, social and charitable person. A secret word from the villagers on condition of not naming them is, “was it Mapari, he would have been done away with”.

Back to the topic I myself have seen his charities. He even goes to the extent of giving food to the accused in the lock up if they are not provided by the government. He many a times have paid fines of those defaulters specially Motor Vehicle defaulters if they were very poor with stern warning not to repeat the offences. Which police officer in the Goa Police would do this? There are another few more like him but according to me he is above all. A kind hearted man and a fun loving and jolly person.

He leads a very simple life with his wonderful and simple wife Maria Monserrate who is also a Police Inspector and presently attached to the CID Foreigners Branch in Goa. He has two daughters whom he loves very much. Given his love even for his enemies one need not think what it would be to his own.

I have even heard the words from a person's mouth cannot name the person as requested “Asking Jesus for help and asking Anthony is same”.

But quite a few corrupt police constables have definitely put him on the bad list. I know that some of these constables go shamelessly about and take money from people saying that “Saiban maglea” even a meagre sum of Rs. 200/- to Rs 400/-. Poor Mr. Anthony is/was not even aware of such a thing going on when I found out through one person (anonymity requested) in Pissurlem that two constables (names not told) had approached him and asked him for money in the name of Mr. Anthony. I told this friend of mine that next time they approach to tell them that you will give it personally to him. He agreed. Later I verified the fact and go to see Mr. Anthony had no knowledge of this transaction. I felt very angry for unnecessary spoiling of a good person’s reputation. But Anthony himself was cool saying that God is there above and he will take care. Indeed God does take care of these things which I learnt later. Such is his character! Forgiving even those who try to defame him! Forgiving even those who have malice towards him! even though he is not extraordinarily religious but does believe in God.

In his personal life, he is a man, very simple and of very simple tastes. Very nice to talk to and can be a very good friend. He goes out of his way to help people. In his own Native Naroa, he is highly spoken of. I have seen that most of the times any poor person whose relative died and did not have enough to perform the last rites, Anthony would be the one to handle and arrange from coffin to the last burial. Not only the Catholics, but he has lots and lots of friends who are Hindus and Muslims. These friends love him very much, not because he is a Police Officer or that they should get some favours but because he is a loving person, simply a genuine and simple person do does not break up friendships.

I could have written a lot of his good deeds here but the pages won’t be sufficient to write. I wish him all the best in his life and may his overdue PROMOTION as Deputy Superintendent of Police be given to him at the earliest. I also pray to God to protect this man against all the evils especially from the evil politicians who play with GOOD government servants, who do not bend before them.

(From the Archives of the Local News papers)

GOA POLICE STONED AND STUNNED

VALPOI, Dec 28: Prithviraj Rane, 32, a resident of Saleli, Satari, son of veteran freedom fighter and landlord Krishnarao Rane, was killed, while at least 40 police personnel were injured, one of them seriously when they were attacked by irate villagers at Saleli, Onda, this morning. The mob also damaged four police vehicles when a strong police force had gone to arrest the assailants. The trouble started ar around 10.30 am when Prithviraj was proceeding on a two-wheeler to the site of the stone crusher owned by him at Saleli. He was stopped by the irate villagers and attacked with iron rods, killing him instantly. Clouds of tension were hovering over the village for the last three day over the issue of "Mokaso". The local residents on December 27pelted stones at the residence of Rane. It may be noted that incidents of clashes in the past have frequently taken place between the residents and the Rane family

VIOLENCE AT SATARI OVER STONE CRUSHING UNITS

VALPOI, Dec 28: Ongoing tension over units at Saleli-Satari erupted into unprecedented violence, leading to the murder of a 35-year-old crushing unit owner and subsequent stone pelting incident that left around 30 police officers injured. The deceased, Prithviraj Rane, is the son of former MGP leader and former ZP member Krishnarao Rane. Police officials injured in the stone-pelting incident included North Goa SP DK Sawant, ponda DySP Mohan Naik, Bicholim DySP Waman Tari, Valpoi PI Anthony Monserrate, and about 25 police officers. Satari Mamlatdar Ajeet Panchwadkar was also injured in the incident. (Herald)

Mob lynches landlord's son in Satari

PANAJI, Dec 28: A 32-year-old youth from Saleli in Satari taluka, Prithviraj Rane, was allegedly killed by angry people of Saleli this morning. However, the police attempt to arrest those behind the crime later resulted in fierce clashes between them and the villagers in which at least 30 police personnel were injured besides scores of villagers. The killing of the youth was apparently a result of a long-running dispute over property between his family (who are the landlords) and the local villagers, who are the tenants. (Navhind Times)