Activist lawyer, historian brutally attacked in city restaurant

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-14
PANAJI — Mr Aires Rodrigues, a lawyer and social activist, and Mr Prajal Sakhardande, a teacher of history in a city college, were brutally assaulted by a group of 7-8 people at a city restaurant here this evening.
Mr Rodrigues was admitted to a city hospital and was operated as one of his fingers was badly injured.
Mr Rodrigues and Mr Sakhardande have been in the forefront in recent years defending social causes, human rights and rule of law.
The attack comes in the wake of Mr Rodrigues’ role in espousing the case of a minor German girl whose mother, Ms Fadela Fuchs had filed a complaint with the Calangute police station alleging sexual assault on her daughter by Rohit Monserrate, elder son of the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate.
Mr Rodrigues held a press conference at his home on Sunday along with Ms Fuchs alleging police inaction on her complaint since it was filed on October 2.
Mr Rodrigues was scheduled to address another press conference tomorrow with Ms Fuchs.
Earlier in the day, some police officials with an NGO visited Ms Fuchs’ house but the latter refused to make any statement to them saying that she would make her statement at the press conference tomorrow.