Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Investigations into the daring armed robbery at the residence of Dr Mahendra Kamat Ghanekar in Ganeshpuri, Mapusa, have gathered pace, with Goa Police tracing the suspected gang to Bengaluru. Nearly 30 hours after the violent attack, investigators have identified several suspects based on CCTV footage showing the group being dropped off in Bengaluru.
Sources revealed that the gang, believed to include members from Bangladesh, West Bengal, and Odisha, was ferried out of Goa in a taxi. The Crime Branch, led by PIs Tushar Lotlekar and Vikas Deykar, has rushed to Bengaluru in an effort to intercept the culprits before they possibly cross into Bangladesh. Police have also traced the call records of one accused, providing crucial leads in the probe.
The taxi driver suspected of transporting the gang has been summoned to the Mapusa Police Station for interrogation, while the vehicle has undergone detailed forensic analysis to determine whether he was an accomplice or acted under threat.
The robbery, which occurred late Monday night, saw armed assailants hold Dr Ghanekar’s family hostage for nearly two hours, assaulting and tying them up before escaping with valuables worth around ₹50 lakh, including cash, gold, and silver. The robbers later abandoned the doctor’s car near the Mandovi Bridge in Panjim and fled the State in the taxi.
The incident has sparked outrage among locals, who have accused police of negligence for failing to immediately set up checkpoints (nakabandis) along the borders. Residents allege that the delay allowed the gang to escape into Karnataka. “Had police reacted faster, the culprits could have been caught before leaving Goa,” said one resident.
In response, two special Crime Branch teams were earlier dispatched to Belagavi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad to track the gang’s movements. Preliminary findings suggest the group may be part of a larger interstate robbery network involved in similar crimes in Ratnagiri and possibly linked to the unsolved dacoity at industrialist Jayaprakash Dempo’s Dona Paula home earlier this year.
Meanwhile, a delegation of residents — including Dr Nutan Bicholkar, Ashwin Shirodkar, and Dr Gauras Natekar — met Deputy SP Wilson D’Souza on Wednesday, demanding increased police presence, night patrolling, and additional CCTV surveillance in Ganeshpuri. “Citizen safety cannot be left to chance. We need a permanent police outpost here,” said a resident representative.
Police have recorded statements from all family members, who remain deeply traumatised by the ordeal. Senior officials said significant progress has been made through CCTV analysis and forensic tracking, assuring that the culprits will be apprehended soon.
