60-year-old woman dies; accused caught after high-speed pursuit across Vasco
Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar speaks to police officials after helping nab the accused, while the damaged car involved in the fatal hit-and-run near Dabolim airport is seen parked.
VASCO
A 60-year-old woman lost her life in a fatal hit-and-run accident near Dabolim airport late on Saturday evening, triggering a dramatic chase by Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who pursued and helped catch the fleeing driver.
The accident took place when a car driven by 30-year-old Sachin Chopda, a native of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly hit Siddamma Madar, a resident of Mangor Hill. The impact threw the woman onto the road, leaving her critically injured. She was taken to Chicalim hospital, where she was declared dead.
Amonkar, who was passing through the area at the time, said the speeding car had overtaken him moments before the accident. “I reached the spot and saw the woman lying motionless. I immediately stopped, asked people nearby to help her, and then went after the vehicle,” he said.
What followed was a high-speed chase across several stretches, with the MLA trying to stop the car twice. However, the driver managed to escape and continued towards Vasco.
During the chase, Amonkar alerted the police in different areas, including the Airport, Vasco and Mormugao police stations, and also arranged for an ambulance for the victim.
The chase ended near the Mormugao Port area, where the driver, unfamiliar with the roads, reached a dead end due to barricades. Amonkar blocked the vehicle and held the accused until the police arrived. “He fled instead of stopping, which made me chase him. I acted purely on humanitarian grounds,” Amonkar said.
Police confirmed that the accused has been taken into custody and a case has been registered. South Goa SP Gurudas Kadam said the driver was new to the area and had taken the port road, which led him into a dead end where he was caught. “The MLA assisted the police and did a commendable job,” Kadam said.
Further investigation is underway.
