File photo of the house at Ralloi-Curtorim where gunshots were fired on the night of November 1, 2023.
It was 11 pm on November 1, 2023. Gunshots were heard at the sleepy Ralloi ward in Curtorim, shattering the peace and tranquillity of the village. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident after shots were fired at a residential house belonging to Consi Fernandes. But, the bullet marks on the glass bore testimony to the fact that the miscreants fired a couple of shots at the house, leaving the inmates, including the children, shocked and terrified.
Two months and a half down the line, a breakthrough has eluded the Goa police till date with the police yet to ascertain the exact motive behind the incident and the culprits involved in the dastardly crime. Take note, the Maina Curtorim police were quick to nab the owner of a security agency in connection with the incident. The police had even invoked section 307 of the IPC for attempt to murder, but many questions still remain unanswered, including the whereabouts of the culprits and the motive behind the crime.
When The Goan called up Maina Curtorim Police station in-charge, PI Arun Desai, to shed light on the Ralloi firing incident, he was quick with a reply that investigations in the case are underway, exuding confidence of achieving a breakthrough. Sub-divisional Police officer, Margao DySP Santosh Desai also echoed similar sentiments. “The Maina Curtorim police are investigating the shooting incident. The Police had arrested the owner of the security agency in connection with the incident. The investigation is continuing”, DySP Santosh informed.
Incidentally, DySP Santosh had told the media on November 2 last, attributing the incident to a property dispute, claiming the security owner was arrested by the police since he was reportedly engaged by a Delhi-based party to look after a property in question, throwing up a question or two – what was the nature of the property dispute and who were the accused persons responsible for firing the gun shots?
While the Maina Curtorim police were quick to arrest the owner of a security agency, the whereabouts of the two persons who were captured on the Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) footage walking on the street abutting Consi’s house still remain unknown. For, just hours prior to the shooting that took place at around 11 pm on November 1 night, three persons were seen walking on the road. The CCTV footage had captured the three persons moving on the road in front of the house of Consi’s house. Moments later, a car came on the scene before an occupant of the vehicle firing gunshots at the house before speeding away.
Incidentally, the firing incident at Ralloi had taken place just a fortnight after gunshots were fired at the Old market area of the commercial capital in the jurisdiction of Fatorda police station, inviting criticism from opposition parties to the deteriorating crime situation in the state.
