VASCO
Baina locality in Vasco was shaken by an armed dacoity when a gang of eight masked intruders stormed into a sixth-floor flat at Chamundi Arcade in the wee hours of Tuesday and brutally assaulted a family, before fleeing with gold, silver and cash worth lakhs of rupees.
The audacious crime, carried out with precision and planning, unfolded between 2 am and 2.55 am and left three members of the Nayak family grievously injured and traumatised.
MODUS OPERANDI
According to information, the gang had split roles — seven men climbed into the premises from the back compound wall and sneaked into the building’s basement while one remained outside for lookout duty.
CCTV footage later confirmed how the group avoided the main cameras and slipped into the lift with their faces covered by masks and a motorcycle helmet.
Once inside the building, the dacoits made their way to the sixth floor, where they targeted the home of Sagar Nayak.
The intruders are believed to have gained access after cutting through an iron gate and entering the kitchen window, which had no protective grill.
They then forced open the bedroom door, where Sagar was sleeping alongside his wife Harsha and 15-year-old daughter Nakshatra.
ASSAULT, ROBBERY
The attack on the family was swift and merciless. Sagar, who has a heart condition, was repeatedly struck on the head with iron rods as the family pleaded with the assailants to stop. Harsha too was hit with an iron rod, leaving her bleeding, while Nakshatra suffered injuries to her hand after attempting to shield her father from the blows.
In another room, Sagar’s 85-year-old mother-in-law, Hirabai Pai, was kicked off her bed as the gang ransacked the flat.
Despite his injuries, Sagar initially resisted the intruders and refused to give in to their demands. But the ordeal took a terrifying turn when one of the dacoits allegedly held a knife to his daughter’s neck and threatened to abduct her.
Overwhelmed and bleeding profusely, Sagar finally surrendered, after which the gang tied Sagar, Harsha and Nakshatra in the balcony with cloth rags stuffed into their mouths to prevent them from raising an alarm.
Once the family was restrained, the dacoits reportedly demanded the keys to cupboards and lockers and proceeded to loot valuables including gold ornaments, silver artefacts and cash. The entire operation inside the flat lasted close to an hour.
THE GETAWAY
Before leaving, the dacoits locked the flat from the outside, stole all mobile phones and demanded the car keys as well.
CCTV footage later showed the gang attempting to flee with the family car. They moved a bike parked in front of it and unlocked the main gate, but the plan fell apart when the car keys accidentally dropped inside the flat. Unable to retrieve them, the gang abandoned the attempt and instead escaped on foot using the same rear compound route they had used to enter.
THE INJURIES
The Nayak family, meanwhile, is recovering from injuries and the trauma of the attack. Sagar suffered grievous head wounds, while Harsha and Nakshatra have been treated for multiple bruises, including the rod injury on Harsha’s head. Hirabai Pai, though less seriously injured, remains shaken after being targeted despite her age.
Sagar who was rushed to the Chicalim Sub District hospital was subsequently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital and is presently out of danger.
SHOCK, PANIC
The crime has raised serious concerns over security even in gated complexes equipped with CCTV coverage, as the gang displayed careful planning and coordinated movements to avoid detection.
Residents of Chamundi Arcade are reportedly in shock as investigators continue to review CCTV footage frame by frame to track the escape trail of the suspects.
The incident has triggered panic among residents of nearby buildings, many of whom have demanded stronger night patrols and enhanced surveillance. Authorities are now examining whether the gang could be linked to other similar crimes reported in recent months and whether they had any information from within the locality.
