MAPUSA
In an unusual incident, police teams from Goa and Karnataka sparred in Porvorim over the custody of an accused who is wanted in connection with a series of offences in the State.
Goa Police was furious that a Banaswadi police team had arrived in Goa along with the accused, Azeez Asif (31) of Bengaluru without following protocols and procedures, even though a Goa police team was camping in Bengaluru in search of the accused.
According to police sources, a number of robberies and thefts involving gold chains and mobile phones have been reported in Calangute, Saligao and Anjuna in the last few months and Goa Police had suspected Azeez Asif to be linked to these crimes. Police had also allegedly identified him in CCTV footage during one such offence.
A complaint was filed against Asif at Calangute police station on charges of robbing a gold chain. Goa police were informed that the accused had escaped to Bengaluru and so, a police team was sent there on September 16 to nab the accused.
The Goa police team managed to trace his address at Bhartinagar Garden. According to rules, the Goa police team notified the Tumkar and Banaswadi police stations about the accused.
However, a Banaswadi police team nabbed the accused on Saturday night and reached Goa on Sunday morning, without alerting or notifying the Goa police.
The Banaswadi police team also inspected the room where the accused was staying in Mandrem.
On receiving news of this development, the Goa police stopped and confronted the Banaswadi police at Porvorim for about two hours, while they were on their way back on Sunday afternoon along with the accused.
Senior Goa Police officials then got in touch with their counterparts in Karnataka and later allowed the Banaswadi police to return to Bengaluru on the condition that the accused would be lawfully handed over to Goa Police.
Meanwhile, a Goan police team that had been sent to Bengaluru had left back for Goa but was then told to return to Bengaluru on account of these new developments.
The Banaswadi police team along with the accused reached Bengaluru on Monday morning but was yet to hand over the accused to the Goa police team camping in Bengaluru till late Monday night.
The Goa police have expressed disappointment over actions of the Banaswadi police team regarding the custody of the accused.
