Team Goemkarponn
DABOLIM: A 60-year-old woman lost her life in a fatal hit-and-run accident near Dabolim airport on late Saturday evenings, triggering a dramatic chase by Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who pursued and helped nab the fleeing driver.
The accident occurred when a four-wheeler driven by 30-year-old Sachin Chopda, a native of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly struck Siddamma Madar, a resident of Mangor Hill. The impact threw the victim flying in the air and onto the road, leaving her critically injured. She was rushed to Chicalim hospital, where she was declared dead.
Amonkar, who was passing through the area at the time, said the speeding vehicle had overtaken him moments before the incident. “I reached the spot and saw the woman lying motionless. I immediately stopped, asked people nearby to assist her, and then went after the vehicle,” he said.
What followed was a high-speed chase across multiple stretches, with the MLA attempting to intercept the car twice. However, the driver managed to evade him and continued speeding towards Vasco.
During the pursuit, Amonkar alerted police across jurisdictions, including Airport, Vasco and Mormugao police stations, while also requesting an ambulance for the victim.
The chase finally ended near the Mormugao Port area, where the driver, unfamiliar with local roads, ran into a dead end due to barricades. Amonkar managed to block the vehicle and detained the accused until police arrived. “He fled instead of stopping, which made me chase him. I acted purely on humanitarian grounds,” Amonkar said.
Police confirmed that the accused has been taken into custody and an offence has been registered. South Goa SP Gurudas Kadam said the driver was new to the area and had taken the port road, which led him into the port stretch where he was eventually caught. “The MLA assisted the police and did a commendable job,” Kadam said.
Further investigation is underway.
