Team Herald
PANJIM: North Goa Police on Thursday arrested three persons in connection with the murder of the elderly couple at Dhargalim in Pernem last week.
Pernem police arrested Anil Zhate (26), native of Buldhana district in Maharashtra and two locals Anant Veer (32), and Rajesh Veer (25) early Thursday morning. Zhate, a former employee of the couple in their milk distribution business allegedly hatched the conspiracy to take revenge for being sacked from the job after five years.
Police were clueless for a week and could not establish the motive behind the murder as there was no robbery, which led to the suspicion that revenge could be the motive.
Zhate had assaulted the couple five years ago leaving Reginald partially paralysed. An assault and robbery case had been filed at that time but subsequently withdrawn as Zhate and his wife were working on the farm. Police had then recovered ornaments from Zhate that had been stolen from Coutinho’s house.
Police detained Zhate because of a previous attack but were unable to establish any link. Sources said Zhate confessed to committing the crime and the role of the other two is under scrutiny.
Sources said that Zhate was a milk supplier but was irregular in payments to the couple from whom he purchased milk. Tired of this the couple had sacked him.
Anant and Rajesh were the couple’s neighbours and since the duo was known to the Coutinhos, they opened the door after Anant rang the bell. That is when Zhate allegedly killed Joyce. Source said Joyce was attacked first on the head and later shifted to the bedroom, whereas Reginald was killed near the washroom with the same weapon.
