Officials admit overcrowding, forced to use female lock-up; say it’s the first time in recent years so many accused of serious crimes have been held
MARGAO
The gang war that erupted on the Margao-Colva road in the jurisdiction of the Fatorda police station two weeks ago has overwhelmed the Margao police station lock-up, now packed with undertrials.
So far, the Fatorda police have arrested 21 individuals in connection with the shootout at Mungul on August 12. With the Fatorda police station currently undergoing renovation, all 21 accused have been shifted to the Margao police station lock-up.
Additionally, the four individuals arrested in the Rs 2 crore extortion case, including accused Walter Fernandes, are being held at the Cuncolim police station lock-up as a precautionary measure. The move was made to avoid any confrontation, as police officials cited intense rivalry between the gang war accused and those held in the extortion case.
All the four accused arrested in the road rage incident at Pajifond are also housed at the Margao police station lock-up.
Due to the overcrowding, Margao police have been compelled to open both the male and female lock-ups to accommodate the detainees. As of this weekend, inquiries by The Goan revealed that approximately 24 undertrials are being held at the Margao station—20 in connection with the gang war and four from a separate road rage incident. One of the gang war accused is currently lodged at the Colvale jail.
A senior official at the Margao police station acknowledged the unprecedented pressure on available space. “This is perhaps the first time in recent years that so many accused have been held at the Margao police station lock-up. Due to lack of space, we were forced to utilise the female lock-up to accommodate the overflow,” the official stated.
The official added: “Never had any police station lock-up stuffed with so many accused charged for attempt to murder and other serious offenses. In the past, we have seen people detained under preventive detention for participating in agitations. But, this is indeed the first time that a lock-up is packed with accused charged for serious offenses, including attempt to murder.”
Meanwhile, investigations into the gang war are still ongoing. Police sources indicate that an additional 10-12 suspects remain at large and are likely to be apprehended in the coming days.
Sources further informed that accused persons involved in the road rage incident near the Old Hospicio building have gone into hiding and are still at large.
The Goan understands that the Fatorda police have shifted the four persons comprising of accused Walter Fernandes and three others charged for alleged extortion to the Cuncolim police station as a matter of abundant caution.
“We took the precautionary measure to lodge Walter and the other three persons at the Cuncolim police station lock up given the bitter rivalry between the accused arrested in the gang war and the extortion case,” admitted a Fatorda police station official.
The gang war broke out in the wee hours of Tuesday on the Margao-Colva road at Mungul wherein gangsters fired gunshots leaving two individuals critically injured.
Initial report had put the number of armed assailants to 15, who had travelled in multiple cars before they ambushed the Baleno car near the Sagun Restaurant at Mungul.
