VASCO
Three robbers attempting to break into an unoccupied bungalow at the MES College area in Sancoale fired two rounds at the police while escaping from the scene after the police reached just in time to foil their robbery bid.
While one bullet missed the head of PSI Swapnil Naik and he survived the attack, home guard Prahlad Naik was injured after the bullet struck the road and ricocheted on his knee.
The police immediately pressed the sniffer dog and forensic team and have recovered an axe, screw driver, spanner and two broken locks from the site.
The police conducted a naka bandi after the incident and managed to attach the bike used by the robbers, even as they are believed to have made good their escape from the adjoining slum area in Zuarinagar.
Speaking on the incident, Mormugao DySP Salim Shaikh informed reporters that the three robbers were trying to break open the door of the unoccupied bungalow at around 2 am when the incident was noticed by a neighbour who alerted the police.
“Vasco PSI Swapnil Naik, who was carrying out patrolling in nearby area, rushed to the site with his team. While two robbers were trying to break open the door, the third robber was on a bike outside the compound to keep a watch and monitor any movements in the area.”
“On noticing the police vehicle approaching them, he immediately alerted the other two robbers who jumped over the compound and the trio began to escape on the two-wheeler.”
“However, as the police got closer and began chasing them, one of the robbers removed a gun and fired two rounds at the police,” said DySP Shaikh.
The DySP informed that while one bullet narrowly missed the head of PSI Swapnil Naik, another bullet hit the road and ricocheted on the knee of the Home Guard Prahlad Naik, who sustained minor injuries.
Since the area falls in the Verna Police Jurisdiction, PSI Swapnil Naik had also alerted the Verna Police. As the police from both stations arrived, they carried out a nakabandi to block the exit points and prevent the robbers from fleeing.
“However, on noticing the Nakabandi, the robbers abandoned their bike around 2 kms away and escaped from the adjoining slum areas," said Shaikh.
Sources informed that the Karnataka-registered bike used by the robbers and attached by the police was a stolen bike and a complaint had already been filed regarding the theft of this bike.
"The police feel that the same trio could be involved in a spate of burglaries in Loutolim, the incident of snatching gold bangles from a woman in Loutolim and the incident of chain snatching at St Jacinto Island recently. In all three incidents, there were three persons seen on the bike.”
Despite narrowly missing a bullet, PSI Swapnil Naik did not fear for his life and instead, chose to chase the culprits and even clicked their photographs on his mobile," said the source.
