Goa Khabar : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa has strongly condemned the brutal murder of Morjim resident Umakant Khot, who was allegedly beaten to death by land mafia involved in illegal hill-cutting at Varchawada, Morjim. The party accused the BJP government of allowing land mafias to operate freely, while law and order continues to collapse across the state.
A delegation led by AAP Working President Valmiki Naik today submitted a memorandum to the Mandrem Police Station, demanding immediate arrest of the main conspirators, including the landowner and buyer of the disputed property where the illegal hill cutting was taking place.
Valmiki Naik said, “In the last few weeks, Goa has witnessed repeated law and order failures. Today, Goans are being beaten to death, and this BJP Government is turning a blind eye. Umakant Khot was a legal tenant, yet his land was sold illegally while his tenancy was still valid. After that, illegal hill cutting began — and when he opposed it, he was killed. The government must immediately arrest both the landowner and the buyer, who clearly had vested interests.”
AAP Mandrem leader Prasad Shahpurkar added, We stand firmly with the family of Umakant Khot. If the main conspirators are not arrested, we will lead a morcha along with villagers to the police station. It is shameful that someone who fought to protect Goa’s land is beaten to death while the police remain inactive. Justice must be delivered swiftly.
AAP Leader Sunil Signapurkar said, Goa has been taken over by land mafias. The local MLA, instead of protecting people’s rights, seems more interested in land dealings. This government is letting land mafia loot our land and destroy our villages. It has failed the people of Goa completely.
AAP Leader Suvarna Harmalkar condemned the continuing pattern of injustice, saying, “From Rama Kankonkar to Edberg Pereira and now Umakant Khot, the BJP’s police never act promptly against the criminals. They always try to downplay these crimes. This is happening because of political interference — the police act on the orders of politicians instead of upholding justice.”
AAP leaders expressed deep condolences to Umakant Khot’s family and prayed for strength for them to overcome this tragedy. The party reaffirmed its demand for an impartial investigation, suspension of complicit officials, and immediate arrests of all those with vested interests behind the illegal land sale and hill cutting.
The murder of Umakant Khot is not an isolated crime — it is a reflection of Goa’s worsening state under the BJP, where greed and political protection have replaced law and humanity, the statement concluded.
