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Welcome to yet another edition of Gerard’s Gazette, a weekly newsletter in which I attempt to break down the events of the week gone by and offer a bit of context, as well as a dose of news you may have missed and news behind the news. This week’s edition includes a special appeal from the Goa Foundation (at the bottom), don’t forget to check it out… And, if this is your first time here, thank you for signing up, and I hope you stick around! And, as always, if you like what you are reading, make sure you pass it around. Thanks for reading GERARD’s Gazette! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. The Master Has Lost His Mind As I sit to write this piece, social media is swarming with hints and clues over who is the ‘mastermind’ behind the attack on ‘activist’ Rama Kankonkar. Kankonkar, as you might have heard, was attacked and whipped with wire cables at Caranzalem in broad daylight and had cow dung smeared on his face. Kankonkar, for those unaware, was a prominent face of Goa’s many protest movements and hailing from Goa Velha (San André) and first emerged on the scene when he contested the 2017 legislative assembly elections on an AAP ticket from San André. He came fifth with around 900 votes and while he has since left the party, he has been seen as the leading face of many protests including hunger strikes and the like. Now, I’m gonna be honest. While Rama Kankonkar is an activist, it is a wide ranging term, and includes everyone involved in public advocacy to rabble rousers. When I heard that Kankonkar was attacked, and without knowing the nature of the attack or how serious it was, my first reaction was that this is probably about an individual dispute. Kankonkar was attacked in the recent past and his car damaged, meaning a second attack could well be the followup of a first. It took a while for the scale (and motives) of the attack to become clear. Activist or not, for a man to be be publicly lynched in broad daylight not far from thye state capital, is a statement in itself. The attack led to a massive protest in the state capital Panaji the following day, which, at least for a few hours, paralysed the capital city and brought traffic to a standstill. Seven people have been arrested till date, at least six of whom are said to be ‘history-sheeters’, a word used to describe people with multiple cases against them. In fact, three of the seven people arrested for attacking Kankonkar, were also arrested for attacking Mandrem ex-sarpanch Mahesh Kondakar. In other words, they are hitmen or hired hands and have carried out this attack on behalf of someone else. There have been images of those arrested in the attack doing the rounds on social media including images with a man identified as Zenito Cardozo, who they refer to as “Godfather”. The said Zenito, shot to fame many years ago after he was charged by the police in being a “prime accused” in an attack on the LPK Waterfront nightclub at Nerul back in 2013. He along with the other attackers were later discharged in the case [ https://substack.com/redirect/ccafb339-b275-43e5-88b5-1f39ea7c8a30?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ]. It is no surprise then, that one of the main demands of the protesters yesterday was that the ‘mastermind’ or the one who ordered and paid for the attack be arrested. So, who is this ‘mastermind’ then? Well the truth is, even though I know the answer, I can’t say so directly. A lot of other people too know the answer and as a matter of fact, the whispers in the corridors have travelled so fast that almost everyone who was interested in knowing the ‘mastermind’ behind the attack, either knows who it is or has a ‘strong suspicion’ as to who it is. What hasn’t helped, is that Kankonkar himself, who probably knows who masterminded the attack against him, hasn’t named anybody in the complaint that was filed by journalist Soiru Velip, who was with him when the attack took place. And while I know the answer, thanks to a few sources (some of whom have been behind bars) let me try and let you in on who’s behind it by pointing you to the right clues among what is already available in the public domain. As Duncan J Watts said: Everything is obvious once you know the answer. So here goes… When the MLAs who were leading the protest against the attack of Rama Kankonkar emerged after the meeting the Chief Minister they demanded that the mastermind be arrested, irrespective of who it is, be it a cabinet minister or anyone. Now, unless there was a suspicion that a sitting cabinet minister was behind the attack, there was no reason to drop such a line. That was the first clue. The second clue is not a very obvious one. A few weeks ago, on September 6 to be precise, Rama Kankonkar posted a reel [ https://substack.com/redirect/b1ab8719-9570-4065-841b-6f2074207627?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ]on his Facebook account. The graphic video showed the final moments of Vilas Methar, an RTI activist moments after he was attacked back in 2020 by a group of three bike borne men, who doused him in petrol and set him on fire. Methar, sadly succumbed to his injuries the next day. The attack happened in Salvador do Mundo and was allegedly masterminded by one Altaf Yegatti [ https://substack.com/redirect/f9d926e8-2ef3-428c-bd69-4b3ca632ee73?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ], a builder from Salvador do Mundo, against whom Methar was battling on account of an alleged illegal construction. Back then, the local panchayat accused the BJP of interfering in the investigation for political gains. Remember this was 2020 and the political equations of the Porvorim constituency where the attack happened are not the same as they are now. The third clue is in the form of who in the BJP has been speaking up against the attack. I’ve seen two public statements so far -- one from Rodolfo Fernandes the Santa Cruz MLA, who is obviously eager to distance himself from the attack especially since some of the accused are from his constituency. But the second is from Michael Lobo, who has been quite vocal in his condemnation of the attack and in his demand that the mastermind behind the attack be held to account. This means only one thing -- that Lobo knows who is behind the attack, and since he’s a guy, who he’s not very fond of, he has chosen to speak up against the attack. The last time Lobo was this vocal, was during the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, when he pulled no punches in taking on his own government [ https://substack.com/redirect/30c3f460-f17c-4d32-b300-0cc813cde3e0?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ] especially when it came to issues affecting his constituency, Calangute which primarily depends on tourism. There’s a common thread that runs through -- from the attack on LPK in 2013 to the Vilas Methar murder and the recent attack on Kankonkar -- and it is undoubtedly clear that whoever is behind this is a man (probably more than one man) who, if the past is any indication, will not hesitate to use violence to intimidate opponents and finish of obstacles. So, why have things come to this? It’s not rocket science, when the situation is such that the law is applied partially and those aligned with the government have the protection of those within, this is but a natural consequence..When the state is weak, someone is going to step in to fill the gap and the results are not pretty. The Mopa Airport is haunted. No, really! The Goa Police this week arrested Akshay Vashisht, a Youtuber from Dwarka, Delhi, for a Facebook reel titled ‘Goa ka haunted airport’ (Goa’s haunted airport). Vashisht, who runs several Youtube channels as well as on Facebook and Instagram and who puts out content on social media platforms on paranormal experiences and horror stories was arrested because the police said, the claims in the video were “false, malicious and superstitious” and done so “in a manner that is capable of creating a fear and public alarm with [the] intent to promote their channel.” Now. Where do I even begin? OK. First things first. Vashisht, was given bail the same evening at around 11:30pm after the magistrate picked holes in the police failing to follow due process during his arrest. This includes a notice concerning his impending arrest, reasons for arrest, etc, picking him up in Delhi, arresting him in Goa, bringing him to Goa without transit remand, etc. But why would you want to arrest someone for a claim as fanciful as this? And he isn’t even the first one to make such a claim. It was opposition legislator Vijai Sardesai, who, about a year ago, while speaking in the Goa Legislative Assembly, first gave credence to swirling theories that there is ‘paranormal’ activity at the Mopa airport. The case gained national attention. It opened the floodgates and theories began swirling on social media not unlike the creepy mist that engulfs the airport every night. The theories go like this. That the plateau on which the airport is built, is known as the Barazan (or twelve men) plateau, which, legend has it, is named after 12 village headmen who were original settlers of the neighbouring villages and whose spirits continue to reside on the plateau. If you read Dadu Mandrekar’s book ‘Untouchable Goa,’ you will know that the Pernem taluka is particularly given to such local religious beliefs and as such, this legend is not all that fantastical. But then, things have now been taken to a whole new level with Youtubers such as Vashisht claiming that pilots have reported seeing a woman in a red saree running across the runway, etc. among other such paranormal activity. Irrespective, the airport continues to run just fine 24-hours a day and has scheduled aircraft movement at night the most prominent of which is Goa-Doha Qatar Airways flight that arrives and leaves at an ungodly hour! That said, I am no frequent flyer and have not taken a flight in nearly two years, but I’ve been to Mopa airport three times (all at night) over the last few weeks and can confirm that the airport is indeed haunted. Coz if it was not, why is it that the entrance to the airport (after crossing the perimeter) is always enshrouded in an eerie mist? Why is it that the roads too and from the airport are so deserted, why do the security staff manning the automatic gates stare at you like they’ve encountered their ghostly double [ https://substack.com/redirect/ad2a21a6-4cb1-4ef0-9a60-9039229046ff?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ] and even that doesn’t faze them and finally, if it wasn’t really haunted, why are the police so keen to suppress those who are claiming it is? Who are they going to target next? Magicians who seemingly make people (and animals) appear and disappear, and flat earthers for “false, malicious and superstitious claims in a manner that is capable of creating a fear and public alarm with [the] intent to promote their channel?” But jokes aside, what this means is that the men in suits are now worried that the theory has gained enough popularity that it has begun to affect footfalls at the airport or at least made people think twice about visiting Goa via Mopa airport. Seems like they never heard about the Streisand effect. But irrespective of which theory one believes in, the Mopa airport is haunted by the curses of the people (and animals) that were displaced to set it up. Spirits Never Die. Cat got your tongue? The Central Empowered Committee, tasked by the Supreme Court with “examining the issue” pertaining to the demand for a tiger reserve in Goa, held its first hearing this week. The Committee, which has six weeks to file its first report in the Supreme Court, heard arguments from both sides -- the government, who argued that a tiger reserve was not ‘feasible’ in Goa and claimed that such a notification would displace 1-lakh people, uproot families and occupy around 1,000 sq kilometres or around one-third of the state by area. On the other hand, the Goa Foundation argued that there already was a plan in place for a tiger reserve which would mean an area of 750 sq km of area (and not one thousand as claimed) and the plan had scrupulously left out human settlements from the core area of the sanctuary. But, it turns out that the file containing the tiger reserve proposal has gone missing from the forest department [ https://substack.com/redirect/b7ee2533-8362-44b0-a703-e25fadf049b3?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ]. It is, frankly, not known when the file went missing. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests said that a complaint regarding the missing file was filed back in 2023. Why is it then that the state forest minister is confidently stating that the file went missing before he became minister [ https://substack.com/redirect/aa470d0b-e186-4e42-956e-d6d38eeb3cae?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ]? The department itself said that they noticed it missing in 2023, by which time Rane was Forest minister for at least a year. I’ve read enough crime stories (and have even written some) [ https://substack.com/redirect/df76a32e-3e0c-49fd-aa08-93707eead84a?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ] to know that if someone has an alibi that sounds a little too good to be true, it probably is… That said, the Goa Foundation, which is fighting a battle to get the Mhadei-Mollem-Cotigao forest complex, has reached out for help in fighting this case. Their appeal is appended below, if you are among those who are capable of helping this cause, please consider donating. Details below: Goa's Tigers Appeal for Support Dear Friends of Goa, We are the tigers of Goa, living peacefully in the forests of the Western Ghats, which have been our home for generations. Our presence here is deeply woven into Goa’s culture—honored in temples, festivals, and local heritage. But now, the Goa government is trying to deny us the protection we need. Despite a landmark judgment from the Bombay High Court affirming our right to a Tiger Reserve, the government is challenging it in the Supreme Court. The Court quoted the Mahabharata in our defence: If there is no forest, then the tiger gets killed; If there is no tiger, then the forest gets destroyed. Hence, the tiger protects the forest and the forest guards the tiger! -Mahabharat (Kumbhaghonam Edition) – Udyoga Parva: 5.29.57 The Goa government’s lawyers have made wild claims—saying we want 1,000 sq. km for our reserve (wholly untrue) and that we’ll soon be roaming the entire state (atrocious)! For this, they are being paid Rs.25 lakh per appearance! What have we done to deserve this hostility? We’ve always coexisted peacefully with Goa’s people. But if you don’t act now, we risk losing our place in Goa’s wildlife legacy. The Supreme Court has referred the case to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), whose recommendations will be considered by it on November 11, 2025. The hearings are in Delhi, and though we tigers can’t be there ourselves, we have the Goa Foundation, our trusted ally, fighting for us. But we need your help more than ever. What We Need Right Now! We must raise ₹4 lakh by mid-November to cover essential costs, including: Travel to Delhi for the CEC and Supreme Court hearings Research and documentation to strengthen our case Paperwork, photos, and videos to present our side effectively Without your support, we may lose our home, relegated to the status of "tourists" visiting Goa. We don’t want to be seen wandering the streets of Goa, and we certainly don’t want to be forgotten. We want to remain in our forests. How You Can Help: Please donate generously [ https://substack.com/redirect/41da8f04-f546-483a-af42-b88d4b24500b?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ] to the Goa Foundation’s Tiger Appeal. (Donation details, including online links can be found here. [ https://substack.com/redirect/41da8f04-f546-483a-af42-b88d4b24500b?j=eyJ1IjoiMTdkMzMzIn0.fgOj6myyAgvFoWmj-LgXwMrpDLUf7f7HnFNWVfgXm9c ]) Every contribution helps us stay in our rightful home. Your support ensures that we tigers continue to roam the forests we’ve called home for centuries. Since we don’t have voting rights, we are appealing to you, to help protect our future for your coming generations as well. With gratitude, The Tigers of Goa (Through the Goa Foundation) That’s all I have for you this week. Make sure you comment or write in, should you have something, anything to say. I would also invite you to contribute via sending in your views, especially on a subject you know something about, and I will be happy to include it as part of the newsletter. You are also welcome to write in with leads and tip-offs or anything that you think might be interesting enough to include here. As always, please share and help spread the word. Until next week, then. Tchau! Thanks for reading GERARD’s Gazette! This post is public so feel free to share it. 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