Team Herald
PERNEM: An Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) constable and a lifeguard were arrested by the Pernem police on the charge of attempting to kidnap a toddler from Korgao, Friday late evening.
The accused have been identified as Nikesh Chari from Korgao, who is IRB constable presently attached to the Ribandar Camp and Sanjay Narvekar (47) from Shiroda, Vengurla, Maharashtra, who works as a lifeguard. The minor child’s father is also a constable.
The incident occurred at around 7.30 pm when Narvekar entered the house of the child who was playing in the balcony, picked up the toddler and was about to flee from the spot when the child’s grandfather and other family members raised an alarm. Following this, neighbours rushed to their rescue and managed to nab Narvekar and rescued the child.
Following the commotion, the other accused fled from the scene on his bike, which had no number plates. Locals later handed Narvekar over to police who had reached the spot by then. During interrogation, Narvekar disclosed the involvement of Nikesh Chari, an IRB constable attached to the Ribandar Camp and a resident of Korgao, Pernem. Chari was subsequently arrested, said police.
The Pernem police have also attached two Maharashtra registered vehicles, a two-wheeler and a car which were used while committing the offence. Both the accused have confessed of committing the crime, police said.
A report will be submitted against the accused IRB constable Nikesh Chari for appropriate disciplinary action, informed police. The entire operation was supervised by Pernem SDPO Jivba Dalvi, Pernem PI Sachin Lokre, PSIs Vivek Halarnkar, Prathamesh Parsekar and Navneeth
Goltekar, constables Sagar Khorjuvekar, Shashank Sakhalkar and Mithil Parab.
The Pernem police have registered an FIR against both the accused under Sections 137 (2) read with 3 (5) of BNS 2023 and Section 8 of Goa Children’s Act and investigation was taken up. Both the accused are being interrogated to determine the exact motive behind the kidnapping attempt and did not rule out the ransom hypothesis either.