Team Goemkarponn
MADKAI: The late-night shootout in Madkai has triggered a political storm across Goa, with Opposition leaders accusing the BJP-led government of allowing law and order to collapse and pushing the State into chaos.
Police confirmed that the driver, Saurabh Lotlikar of Ramnathi, Ponda, narrowly escaped without injuries, though his car sustained damage in the attack. Two bullets struck the vehicle, one of which burst a tyre, as the firing took place on the busy Ponda–Marcaim stretch near Karnale bridge. Sources added that the streetlights in the area were not functioning at the time.
Upon receiving the alert, police teams rushed to the scene, cordoned off the spot and regulated traffic while forensic and crime units combed the area for evidence. Lotlikar has been placed in protective custody, both for his safety and to assist in the investigation.
By late Thursday night, multiple police teams were deployed to trace the shooters, while checkpoints and naka-bandis were set up across key routes in Ponda and Marcaim. Senior officers said preliminary inquiry suggests the attack may have been pre-planned, though the exact motive remains unclear.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over Goa’s law and order situation, with two shootouts reported within a fortnight. Police have assured strict action and said investigations are being fast-tracked to bring the culprits to book.
RGP chief Manoj Parab warned that the influx of migrants was disturbing Goa’s susegad culture and turning the State into a place of conflict. He alleged that the government’s politics of caste and religion was deepening the crisis.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said the BJP had transformed “peaceful Goa into a crime hub,” citing the Mungul gang fight and now the Madkai firing as proof of the government’s “total failure.” He alleged that criminals had no fear of the police, with jails supplying drugs and mobiles, while corrupt officers acted like robbers themselves.
Goa Forward Party leader Durgadas Kamat said the incident exposed Goa’s “collapsing law and order,” accusing the BJP of presiding over a “Gunda raj.” “From drugs to murders, now open firing on streets! Goa deserves safety, not fear,” he charged.
Fatorda MLA VijaI Sardesai blamed the government’s political interference and an “overburdened Chief Minister” for the breakdown in policing. “The Madkai shootout is yet another shocking incident after Mungul,” he said.
