Locals and members of the Congress Party are expressing deep concern over the safety of residents following a recent incident of gunfire at Bethora. The victim, Sachin Kuttikar, a 30-year-old scooter rider from Gotamorod Usgao, narrowly escaped injury when an unknown assailant fired a gunshot at him at the Bethora main junction in the early morning hours.
Sachin, a truck driver, was on his way to join duty when the incident occurred. The police are currently investigating the motive behind the attack. According to authorities, the assailant is suspected to have fired the shot from behind, raising suspicions among locals that the attacker may have been waiting in a car for Sachin’s arrival. Unfortunately, there are no eyewitnesses, and the CCTV camera installed at the site by the Bethora Panchayat was found to be non-functional.
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Sachin, who was promptly shifted to GMC, is reported to be in stable condition. A forensic team, along with the police, has been present at the crime scene since morning, examining the scooter where the incident took place.
Expressing their concern over the incident, the Congress Party workers, led by Ady Hridaynath Shirodkar, submitted a memorandum to the Ponda Police. They emphasized the need for enhanced law and order measures and called for a shift in focus from excessive fines to ensuring the safety of residents. Bethora Sarpanch Madu Khandepar, along with Panchmember Dinesh Naik and Umesh Naik, also visited the spot.
Madu Khandepar criticized the lack of maintenance of the camera system at the junction, pointing out that it failed to record the incident. He urged the highway authorities to implement proper safety measures, including a signal system, flyover, and underpass, especially given the ongoing widening of the Margao-Belgam Highway. Additionally, he called on the police to enhance security in the area. The Sarpanch stressed the need for recharging the camera system and urged the contractor responsible to take immediate action.
