Tie up family, decamp with loot worth Rs 35 lakh
Mapusa: A gang of six armed and masked robbers broke into the bungalow of a prominent doctor in Ganeshpuri, Mapusa, in the early hours of Tuesday. They tied up the family members, including the elderly mother of the doctor, and decamped with cash and gold jewellery worth approximately Rs 35 lakh.
The dacoity, which shocked the residents of Bardez, occurred between 3 am and 5 am. According to the police, one of the robbers entered the house by cutting through the iron grills of a window, the police said.
Once inside, the intruder let in his accomplices. There was no noise during the break-in, and Dr Ghanekar’s 80-year-old mother, who was in the kitchen at the time, did not hear the grill being cut.
The elderly woman was having tea when the thieves attacked her before she could even open the door. They held her at knifepoint and tied her up, after which they drank tea and ate fruits from the house.
The robbers then went on the first floor, where they woke up Dr Mahendra Ghanekar, his wife Dr Anuradha Ghanekar, and their 14-year-old daughter. They threatened them with knives.
Dr Anuradha Ghanekar was locked in the bathroom, while Dr Mahendra Ghanekar was assaulted and tied up. Their daughter was also threatened before being tied up in her room.
Hence the terrified couple gave the cupboard keys to the dacoits.
The robbers tied up the family members’ hands and legs using bed sheets.
Dr Nutan Dev, Dr Ghanekar’s mother-in-law, said that all six dacoits had their faces covered and were armed with knives and iron rods. She mentioned that the family remained tied up for nearly three hours.
Expressing relief that no one was seriously hurt, Dr Dev said the robbery appeared to be meticulously planned.
“They spoke in Hindi and seemed to be in the age group of 35 to 40. Though they were armed with knives, they did not use them. They searched the cupboards for jewellery but didn’t find much, as most of the gold was in a locker. However, they took gold bangles and whatever jewellery items were available,” she said.
Dr Nutan Dev added that the robbers began assaulting the family while demanding cash. They obtained Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh in cash from Dr Mahendra Ghanekar’s mother.
The robbers then fled the scene in Dr Mahendra Ghanekar’s car and also took a CCTV DVR recorder. They threw away the mobiles phones, which had been snatched from the family members.
The Mapusa police rushed to the spot, conducted a panchanama, and deployed a forensic team along with a dog squad.
Senior police officials visited the site and reviewed the situation.
The police have registered an offence in the case, and the family’s car was later found abandoned in Panaji.
CM assures swift action
Mapusa: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday visited the prominent doctor whose bungalow was burgled at Ganeshpuri, Mapusa, and described the crime as a professionally executed dacoity.
He assured the family that those responsible will be arrested soon.
In light of the gravity of the incident, senior officials including Director General of Police Alok Kumar, deputy inspector general of police Varsha Sharma, North Goa superintendent of police Rahul Gupta, deputy superintendent of police Tushar Vernekar, and other officers visited the crime scene.
Addressing mediapersons, Sawant said, “The police are conducting a thorough investigation and are on the right track. I am confident the culprits will be apprehended shortly.”
He added that the police have been instructed to intensify security measures, including setting up additional ‘nakabandis’ and increasing night patrolling.
“Our top priority is citizen safety and cracking down on such crimes,” he said.
The police suspect that an interstate gang may be involved, and teams have been dispatched to Karnataka and Maharashtra to aid the investigation.
Deputy Speaker and Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza also visited the family and emphasised the need for stronger surveillance systems.
“We are proposing the installation of CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points of Mapusa. I urge the Chief Minister to implement similar measures across the state,” he said.
D’Souza added that with government support, surveillance infrastructure in Mapusa will be strengthened soon.
