IANS

Panaji, May 26: A little over 24 hours after Goa police claimed that a gang of drug dealers beat up a constable, a police spokesperson Wednesday retracted the charge.

Speaking to reporters at the police headquarters, acting spokesperson Wilson D’Souza said whether the attackers were drug dealers or not would be determined following an official enquiry.

"An enquiry officer has been appointed to probe the allegations. Whether they are drug dealers or not we will be able to tell only after the enquiry," D’Souza said.

Four alleged drug dealers Tuesday beat up a police constable attached to the Goa police's anti-narcotics cell at Baga, a beach village here, police had said Tuesday.

The alleged drug dealers in a cross-complaint alleged that a sub-inspector attached to the cell had assaulted them.

According to a complaint filed with the Calangute police, constable Mahabaleshwar Sawant was beaten up by a group of suspected drug dealers with hockey sticks, when he went to verify information about drugs being sold at the Sham Rock shack at Baga.

Baga is a major tourism destination along the north Goa coast and also known for easy availability of drugs. Baga is about 20 km from Panaji.

D’Souza said three persons were arrested in connection with the assault -- Marcelo Rodrigues alias Cookie from Goa, Sandip Buniya from West Bengal and Jania alias John Ilya from Hyderabad.

"One more person is absconding. The three persons arrested have been remanded to seven days in police custody," he said.