The incident also led to the disruption in traffic along the highway for about 30 minutes.According to Canacona PSI Prashal Dessai, it was later established that the briefcase belonged to one general physician practicing in the same building, where it was found abandoned outside a pharmacy. According to sources, the incident took place when a pharmacist situated in Nagarshekar building was informed of an unattended briefcase lying outside his pharmacy for about two hours. The pharmacist became suspicious, but decided to wait for someone to claim the briefcase. But when no one turned up, the Canacona police was informed about the presence of the unattended object. Traffic along the NH17 highway was halted for about half-an-hour, while the BDS was summoned to detect any dangerous item inside the briefcase.
Policemen soon came and advised all shopkeepers to vacate their shops and to pull their shutters down, before moving away.
Word spread life wildfire and the Canacona police led by Canacona PI Gurudas Kadam and PSI Prashal Dessai had a hard time controlling the inquisitive public and others, especially highway motorists.
After ascertaining that the briefcase posed no threat, the BDS along with a sniffer dog later took the briefcase to a safer location and found out that it contained doctor’s medical equipment.
Canacona police later informed that the medical practitioner, reportedly on a call to a starred hotel in the taluka, had accidentally left his briefcase outside the pharmacy.
