UP teen held, confesses to shooting woman at Baina

UP teen held, confesses to shooting woman at Baina
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, MARCH 31
A massive manhunt by Vasco police paid rich dividends, when a teenager was arrested on charges of shooting a 33-year-old woman and seriously wounding her early Tuesday morning.
Incidentally, the accused has also confessed to his involvement in the shooting incident behind SMRC Hospital on March 22.
Vasco police nabbed Sidhant Kashayap (18) of Sairaj Complex, Baina-Vasco and a native of UP, on Tuesday night.
With an intention to rob Anitha P Ananth at Divakar Apartment in Patrong-Baina, Kashayap had worked out a plan, but his tactics of using the name of the victim’s husband to gain entry into the house backfired, as Vasco police cracked the case on this major lead.
According to DySP Mahesh Gaonkar, the accused had gained entry in the house by giving a reference of her husband, who is working on a transshipper at the port. Kashayap told the victim that he wanted some documents related to her husband’s job profile.
The description of the accused provided by Anitha’s seven-year-old daughter and a vital clue from a former councillor, who knew that Kashayap’s father and Anitha’s husband used to visit his bar, also helped the police in this connection.
Police then investigated on the lead and commenced a massive manhunt. They enquired with neighbours of Kashayap, who gave a description similar to the one provided by the seven-year-old Anitha’s daughter.
On Tuesday night, police detained Kashayap near his residence. The photo of the accused was shown to Anitha at GMC Hospital, who identified the accused. Later during interrogations, the accused confessed to the crime.
Kashayap reportedly confessed that he was also involved in the shooting incident of the labourer Kariyappa Madar behind SMRC Hospital on March 22.
Later, police recovered jewellery worth Rs 1.50 lakh and the weapon that was used in the crime.
It is learnt that Kashayap had studied in a reputed school in Vasco and did his higher secondary. DySP Gaonkar said the weapon used in the crime is a country-made .12 bore pistol, known as Katta.
When asked whether Kashayap was operating with the gang, DySP Gaonkar said he was operating independently and procured the weapon from Etava-Uttar Pradesh for his activities.
Judicial Magistrate First Class has remanded the accused to 14 days police custody. Kashayap has been charged under Sections 934, 397 of IPC and Section 3 r/w 25 and 27 of Arms Act.
Meanwhile, SP South Goa Allen De Sa has appreciated the efforts of Vasco police, besides police officers from Margao, Colva and Maina-Curtorim, who managed to crack the case within 24 hours of the incident.