Woman shot at by intruder in Vasco

Woman shot at by intruder in Vasco
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, MARCH 30
Barely eight days after a shooting incident behind SMRC Hospital that injured a labourer, a 33-year-old woman from Baina-Vasco was seriously injured after she was shot at by an unknown person at her residence early Tuesday morning.
According to Vasco police, Anitha P Ananth of Tamil Nadu, but residing at Divakar Apartment at Patrong-Baina, was shot in the neck with a country-made pistol by an unknown person in the presence of her children. Anitha was left abandoned in a pool of blood in the kitchen.
According to police, the incident occurred between 7.15 and 7.30 am, barely half an hour after her husband left for duty in the port town.
“The accused entered the apartment with a casual approach and after few minutes, shot on the rear side of the neck and left her abandoned in the kitchen in a pool of blood,” said Deputy Superintendent of  Police Mahesh Gaonkar.
Gaonkar confirmed that the victim was recovering, as pellets were removed and it appears that the weapon used could be a country-made pistol.
The news spread like wildfire, as people started gathering. Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza, Mormugao legislator Milind Naik and former legislator Rajendra Arlekar visited the apartment.
Anitha’s neighbours assumed that it could be the noise of fire crackers. However, they came to know about the incident only after the victim’s seven-year-old daughter knocked their door and informed that her mother was lying in a pool of blood.
It is learnt that the victim’s seven-year-old daughter has narrated that the accused entered the apartment to inquire about her father and then started asking for mobile phone number and passport details.
In the meantime, the victim asked the accused to sit and as she went to the kitchen to get a cup of water for the accused, he followed her in the kitchen and at knifepoint made her hand over her gold ornaments. However, when the victim refused to part with more valuables from the house, the accused shot her in her neck.
After the noise when the children enquired about their mother, the accused assured them their mother was working in the kitchen and fled from the scene.
After few minutes, when the children were getting late for school, they went to the kitchen only to see their mother lying in a pool of blood and also noticed that three gold chains from her neck  were missing.
When asked about the motive, police was tight lipped. Gaonkar said investigation is at the preliminary stage and they are exploring all  possibilities as the victim has not yet given her statement.
South Goa police is on a massive manhunt after the shootout, as nearly 60 police personnel were involved in the search operation. Besides, Superintendent of Police (South) Allen D’Sa, Dy SP Umesh Gaonkar from Margao and Sidhant Shirodkar from Maina-Curtorim are also involved in the investigation.
According to sources, the accused, with chunky eyes and short in height, was wearing a pink shirt and black trousers and carrying a bag.
This is the second such incident as eight days ago a labourer from Chicalim was shot behind SMRC Hospital at Chicalim.
Incidentally, the labourer who was injured in the shootout was the labourer of Mormugao legislator  Milind Naik and Tuesday’s incident occurred in the building constructed by Naik a few years ago.