Michael targets auto, robs foreigner

Michael targets auto, robs foreigner
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, FEB 23
Barely hours of his dramatic escape from the police escort van at Chicalim, the undertrial, Michael Fernandes, reportedly waylaid a rickshaw at Devabhag-Canacona and snatched a bag containing cash and other items from a foreign national on Tuesday night.
According to Canacona Police, four robbers on two motorcycles blocked a rickshaw (GA-02-T-2486) proceeding from Agonda Beach towards Palolem at Devabhag at about 10 pm.
One person alighted from the motorcycle and snatched a bag from the foreign woman in the rickshaw. All four robbers then fled from the scene on the same motorcycles, before an alarm could be raised.
According to Canacona PI Raju Raut Dessai, the purse contained cash of Rs 3,000, a Canon camera, a mobile phone and other materials, all valued at Rs 16,000.
“It is strongly suspected that one of the waylaying culprits is the undertrial, Michael Fernandes of Agassaim, who had escaped only on Tuesday evening from a police escort van at Chicalim junction, apparently with the help of some of his former gang members,” informed PI Dessai.
“Incidentally, the woman identified the person, who forcibly took away her bag when she was shown the photo of the escaped undertrial,” stated Dessai.
VASCO REPORTER ADDS: Police are yet to confirm whether the person, who took away the hand bag from the foreign national was Fernandes, but the description of the person and motorcycle provided by the complainant, it appears that it could be Fernandes.
Interestingly, number plate (GA-07-H-1426) is of Yamaha FZ, while the official website of Goa Transport states that the registered number (GA-07-H-1426) is that of a Hero Honda Passion motorcycle, which is registered in the name of some other person.
“We have verified the number plate of Yamaha FZ motorcycle and it is bogus, as it is the registration number of some other motorcycle,” said Vasco Police PI Rajan Nigle.