Crime Watch
businessman murder
Victim: Hasan Khan
Place: Bambolim
Date: March 21, 2013
Police Stations: Agassaim & Panjim
Incident: Hasan Khan’s brutally stabbed body was found in his Honda City car near the Bambolim Holy Cross on March 21 night after he disappeared from his garage at Taleigao. Two persons had visited his garage on the pretext of purchasing his car. They had taken the car for a test drive and Khan had accompanied them.
Status of the Investigation: Two teams of Panjim and Agassaim police were formed which cracked the case in just four days. The police arrested Robert Gonsalves, a suspended draftsman of the Directorate of Mines and Geology and his aide Raj Patel. The two spilled the beans resulting in the arrest of five others including four persons – Maruti Bhui, Arun Patil, Ravi Patil Patil and Shivaji Patil who were hired from Belgaum to execute the murder plan. Aniket Deepak Yallukar had hired the foursome for the killing. The supari was of Rs 7 lakh, police said. All have been remanded to police custody. The motive of the killing is said to be business rivalry between Khan and the suspended mines official. Further investigations are on.
House burglary
Victim: Titiano Fernandes
Place: Cavorim-Chandor
Date: March 29, 2013
Police station: Maina Curtorim
Incident: This daring daylight burglary sent shockwaves in Chandor village after the miscreant burgled the house when the inmates had gone out to attend the Church services on Good Friday. Taking advantage of the inmates’ absence, the burglars effected entry into the locked house by removing the roof tiles. They broke open the steel cupboard and the safe locker before laying their hands on gold ornaments and cash amounting to Rs 6.50 lakh.
Status of investigation: Maina Curtorim police immediately requisitioned the services of a sniffer dog and finger print expert to assist their investigations. So far, a breakthrough has eluded the police, though the expert has lifted finger prints from the scene of the offence. Police say they are on the job of investigating the daring daylight burglary and are on the look out for the miscreants.
Trade of snake venom
Accused: Eight persons
Place: Ponda
Date: July 30, 2012
Police station: Ponda
Incident: Ponda Police nabbed eight persons in connection with illegal trade of snake venom and recovered 930 ml, believed to be snake venom, the market price of which was said to be about Rs 1.5 crore. All the accused were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
According to information, the venom is in demand to manufacture narcotic drugs and anti-venom medicines.
Acting on a tip-off, sub-divisional police officer Dinraj Govekar formed a team and succeeded in nabbing eight persons and recovered 930 ml of snake venom. Police also attached two cars used in the crime.
Ponda Police laid a trap and accordingly Suhas Naik (31) of Taleigao and Joseph Gonsalves (37) of Agassaim were nabbed along with their car at Ponda while they had come to deal the snake venom. Two bottles containing 930 ml of snake venom was recovered from them.
Police had said that interrogation of two persons led them to arrest Avinash Naik (35) of Baina, Sainath Pagui (30) of Deulbag-Agonda, Canacona, and Prashant Naik (30) of Canacona. During the course of interrogation, it was revealed that three more persons are involved and police nabbed Shaikh Mohamed Salia Zahiruddin (42) of Baina, Francis Oliveira (52) of Headland Sada, Mormugao and Richard Rebello (23) of Muthal-Saldoxem, Canacona.
Status of Investigation: The seized venom bottles were sent to forensic laboratory to ascertain and the report is awaited. Ponda Police are still clueless as to from where the large quantity of venom was procured.
Flat burglary
Victim: Four students
Place: Ponda
Date: February 11, 2013
Police Station: Ponda
Incident: Some persons entered a flat at Farmagudi-Ponda and decamped with four laptops and a mobile phone, all worth Rs 1.62 lakh. Later, Abhilash Mandal of Mangor Hill, Vasco, lodged a complaint against some unknown persons for stealing the four laptops and mobile phone belonging to him and his roommates.
The complainant and his roommates are the students of NIT Farmagudi and they were staying in the rented flat. The incident occurred between 9 and 10 am when two of them were sleeping in the living room, while the other two had left for college. The accused got easy access into the room as the door was not latched from inside.
Status of Investigation: According to police, one deaf person with a pamphlet requesting help had come to these students a week before the incident took place. Such type of modus operandi was noticed in Margao last year and police are investigating the case with same link.
