Team Goemkarponn
PERNEM: Pernem Police have arrested seven persons in connection with illegal sand extraction from the Terekhol river at Uguvem, following a gunshot incident that left two labourers injured earlier this week. On October 28, police received information from the District Hospital at Asilo, Mapusa, that two labourers had been brought in with gunshot wounds and were later shifted to GMC Bambolim for treatment. The injured were identified as Ramrishi Paswan (54) and Lalbabu God (37), both natives of Bihar and residing at Khajne, Poroscodem, Pernem.
According to police, the duo was part of a group extracting sand from the Terekhol river on the night of October 27–28 when an unknown person opened fire on them with the intent to kill. Ramrishi sustained injuries to his neck, while Lalbabu was hit on his arm and abdomen. Pernem Police registered an offence under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3 read with 25 of the Arms Act.
Subsequently, based on a complaint filed by PSI Sahil Naik of Pernem Police Station, another offence was registered under Sections 303(2), 3(5) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 62(2) of the Goa, Daman & Diu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1985, against the labourers and the owner of the canoe for illegally extracting sand without permission from the competent authority.
Those arrested have been identified as Robert Fernandes (46) and Ashok Mulgaonkar (48), both residents of Poroscodem, Pernem, along with five labourers — Sonelal Chaudhary (25), Munna Bin (38), Sonu Paswan (21), Vikas Bin (31) and Yogendra Chaudhari (30) — all hailing from Bihar. Police stated that the group had been operating at Uguvem in violation of the mineral concession rules.
Meanwhile, police have interrogated more than 35 firearm licence holders and examined their weapons with assistance from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) as part of efforts to trace the shooter. The investigation in both cases is being carried out under the supervision of PI Sachin Lokre and overall supervision of SP North, Rahul Gupta, IPS.
