CANACONA: A 22-year-old youth was arrested by Canacona police on Wednesday after allegedly creating panic at Gulem by threatening family members, villagers, motorists and police personnel with koitas (sickles) on Tuesday night.
The accused, identified as Sameer Chawan, allegedly brandished a koita in each hand, stopped vehicles on the public road and threatened to kill people passing through the area.
When locals attempted to intervene, he allegedly became aggressive and tried to attack them. Police rushed to the spot and managed to apprehend him, but he reportedly escaped from custody and fled into nearby thick vegetation.
The incident triggered panic among residents, who feared that he could attack unsuspecting people. A large number of locals gathered at the site, where Congress leader Janardhan Bhandari and Canacona MLA and Minister Ramesh Tawadkar also arrived.
Police subsequently launched a search operation and arrested the youth on Wednesday.
According to sources, the accused was reportedly found to be mentally unstable and was shifted to a hospital in Panaji for medical examination and treatment.
The family, reportedly from Maharashtra, has been operating a roadside blacksmith unit at Gulem for several years, manufacturing traditional tools such as koitas, knives and pickaxes.
Following the incident, residents raised concerns over public safety and demanded appropriate action to prevent similar disturbances in the locality.
