Abdul Altaf, a 25-year-old history-sheeter from Hyderabad, has been placed under seven days of police custody by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in connection with the murder of Dheeru Sharma, a security personnel from Madhya Pradesh. The tragic incident took place in the early hours of Thursday at Casino Carnival, situated in a luxury hotel in Campal, Panaji.
Police reports state that the confrontation began following a dispute between Altaf and the casino’s security staff. In a fit of anger, Altaf reportedly attacked several security guards using a wooden rod with an iron clamp, which he took from a nearby staircase. Dheeru Sharma, 33, from Satna, Madhya Pradesh, suffered critical injuries and died en route to Goa Medical College for treatment. Another guard, 27-year-old Satyam Gaonkar from Shiroda, Goa, also sustained a head injury.
Altaf was caught by the police while trying to flee towards Dabolim Airport. North Goa SP Rahul Gupta confirmed that Altaf, a resident of Misri Ganj near Charminar, Hyderabad, is a known criminal with a record at the Mailardevpally police station. A special investigative team led by SP Gupta and SDPO Sudesh Naik is probing the case further, with ongoing interrogations to uncover the motive behind the attack.