PERNEM
Pernem police arrested a third accused on charges of breaking into a house at Gaonkarwada-Tuem and stealing a gold mangalsutra worth Rs 4.5 lakh, achieving a further breakthrough in the organised house-breaking network operating in North Goa.
Nilima Gawde had complained that an unknown person had broken into her house sometime between 9 am and 5.30 pm on February 5, 2025, by breaking the main door lock and had stolen a gold mangalsutra worth Rs 4.5 lakh from the cupboard in the bedroom.
During investigations, the accused Tejesh Gurav (28), a native of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, who is presently residing at Malpem-Virnoda, was arrested in connection.
Investigations revealed that the arrested accused is a close associate of the prime accused, Rohan Padwal, who, along with his associate Jagannath also known as Ketan Sanjay Bagkar, was earlier arrested in another case.
Police said the accused persons are professional offenders involved in a series of day house-breaking and theft cases across Pernem, Dhargal, Virnoda, Tuem and Korgao areas.
Police have, so far, recovered stolen gold ornaments worth Rs 71.24 lakh and investigation is in progress.
The arrested accused has been produced before the JMFC at Pernem, and police custody has been sought for further custodial interrogation to trace the remaining stolen property and identify other links in the burglary chain.
Further investigation is in progress by PSI Tukaram Chodankar under the supervision of Pernem PI Nitin Halarnkar, Pernem SDPO Salim Shaikh, and overall supervision of North Goa SP Harishchandra Madkaikar.
