the goan I network
MARGAO
A daring robbery at Guirdolim in the wee hours of Sunday sent shock waves across Salcete as two armed assailants attacked a couple -- both senior citizens -- before decamping with gold ornaments and other valuables believed to be worth over Rs eight lakh.
The Goa police, in a swift operation, managed to achieve a quick breakthrough in the sensational robbery by arresting the two accused persons -- Anwar Sheikh (21), presently staying in the Housing Board colony, Porvorim and Sarfaraz Adam (21), a resident of Davorlim.
District Police Chief SP Arvind Gawas told ‘The Goan’ at around 9 pm that the police had managed to recover the gold items, including three finger rings, two chain and a bangle, besides cash of Rs 45,000 from the two accused. He said, while the main accused Sheikh Anwar, was arrested first from Porvorim, accused Sarfaraz was nabbed from Betim late Sunday.
The injured husband-wife duo of Joaquim and Maria Estibeiro are convalescing at the Hospicio hospital with multiple knife njuries. The two assailants effected entry into the house by removing the roof tiles as the main accused had done the recce of the house when he was putting up in the rented room of the victims adjoining the house.
The incident occurred at around 4 am on Sunday when Maria woke up to prepare tea for her husband.
As she was heading towards the kitchen, she heard some noise and immediately alerted her husband to come with a torch light. Maria’s worst fears came true as the two masked assailants armed with knives swooped on her and assaulting her while demanding gold ornaments. Maria, who has suffered a knife injury on her right leg, narrated her ordeal to ‘The Goan’ from the hospital bed that the assailants locked her and husband Joaquim in the room. “They mercilessly beat up my husband as they insisted on handing over the gold jewelry. I pleaded with them to spare us since all the jewelry was kept in the bank locker, but they refused to listen,”, she recalled. For a moment, Maria thought that the two assailants would take away the life of her husband as they attacked him mercilessly. Blood stains were seen all around the floor of the house.
The two robbers are believed to have lifted away the wedding rings on the person of the two victims, besides gold chains and bracelets. They are also believed to have made good with a TV set, an oven and gas cylinder, besides cash as they ransacked the entire house in search of the booty.
Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias, who visited the house of the victims, said he has asked the police to put in all efforts to nab the two robbers. “The police team was in Guirdolim along with the dog square and the forensic experts. The incident is shocking since the robbers have targeted the senior citizens who were staying alone in the house,” Clafacio said.
Superintendent of police Arvind Gawas, DySP Raju Raut Desai, Maina Curtorim PI Vast and police officials drawn from other police stations rushed to Guirdolim after the incident was reported to the police. Senior police officials headed by SP Gawas were all holed up at the Verna police station with main accused Sheikh Anwar before a police team was sent to Betim to nab the second accused.
Meanwhile, police has attached the car which was used in committing the offence.
