Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: Pernem Police have cracked an attempted murder case reported earlier this week, arresting five accused — including two personnel of the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) — for allegedly opening fire at two labourers engaged in sand extraction along the Terekhol River.
According to police, the incident occurred in the early hours of October 28, 2025, when complainant Ramrishi Pasawan, 54, and his colleague Lalbabu God, 37, both working at the Terekhol River near Uguvem, Pernem, were fired upon by an unidentified assailant while extracting sand.
Pasawan sustained injuries to his neck, while God suffered wounds to his arm and stomach.
Acting swiftly, multiple police teams led by PI Sachin Lokre tracked down and arrested five accused persons — Nehal Mahale (20), Ashish Mahale (24), Akash Mahale (24), Rishikesh Mahale (32, IRBn PC), and Gangaram Mahale (34, IRBn PC) — all residents of Ugvem, Pernem.
Police said the weapon and vehicle used in the crime will be recovered soon.
Preliminary investigation suggests the firing stemmed from a dispute over illegal sand extraction, which had triggered tensions among locals concerned about the environmental impact on agricultural lands.
SP North Rahul Gupta, IPS, said strict disciplinary action will be taken against the police personnel involved.
The case is being investigated by a Pernem Police team comprising PSIs Sahil Naik, Harish Vaigankar, Prathamesh Parsekar, Pravin Simepurushkar, and Tukaram Chodankar, under the supervision of SDPO Pernem Ms. Shridevi B.V., IPS, and with assistance from the Crime Branch led by DySP Rajesh Kumar and PI Tushar Lotliker.
In a separate case, Pernem Police also booked 18 persons for illegal sand extraction from the Terekhol River at Uguvem.
Acting on a complaint by PSI Sahil Naik, police registered Cr. No. 67/2025 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Goa, Daman & Diu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1985.
Among those arrested are canoe owners Robert Fernandes (46) and Ashok Mulgaonkar (48), along with five labourers from Bihar.
Eleven other canoe owners have been issued notices under Section 35(3) BNSS and are being interrogated to ascertain their roles in the illegal operations.
Both cases are being investigated under the overall supervision of SP North Goa Rahul Gupta, IPS.
