MARGAO
W hat started as a gold rush on Sunday morning on the Margao western bypass on the Nuvem-Verna stretch later turned out a damp squib with the people realising that what they have collected is not gold but iron pellets.
Motorists, locals as well as visitors, including tourists made a halt at the Western bypass just to collect the pellets, initially believing them to be gold.
In fact, the stretch of the Verna-Nuvem bypass stretch, extending to the Eastern bypass saw vehicles parked along the route on Sunday morning as news spread like wild fire that gold pellets have fallen down from a vehicle.
Motorists parked their vehicles on the bypass road just to lay their hands on the pellets. A large number of tourists also joined the hunt for the pellets, believing them to be gold. It was only later that realisation dawned that what they have collected is not gold but iron pellets.
Meanwhile, locals as well as motorists demanded that the Goa police hunt down the vehicle which was transporting the pellets. “Thank God that the people collected the pellets realising them to be gold. Just imagine the risk that these iron pellets posed to motorists and risked their lives,” said a citizen.
The Maina-Curtorim police, sources said are aware of the incident, but have not yet registered a FIR against the vehicle transporting the iron pellets.
