Business rivalry suspected; manhunt launched
Panaji: In what appears to be a possible fallout of a business rivalry, two unidentified assailants opened fire at Shrinivas Nayak, director of Majestic Group of Hotels and Casinos, near the hotel entrance in Porvorim on Friday night. Nayak escaped unhurt, the police said.
Sources said the incident was apparently linked to another hotel located along 18th June Road in the city, adding that the police are examining every detail in connection with the case.
According to the police, the motive is yet to be ascertained.
Empty bullet shells as well as live rounds were reportedly found at the hotel entrance. A CCTV footage shows panic-stricken persons running from the scene after the gunshots were fired.
The Goa Police said multiple teams have been formed and, based on CCTV footage, a manhunt has been launched to track down the two suspects involved in the incident.
Soon after the incident, senior police officers reached the crime scene and oversaw the investigation.
Reacting sharply to the firing incident, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar launched a scathing attack on the Sawant government.
He said it is a frightening reflection of the complete breakdown of law and order in the state.
“If criminals have the audacity to allegedly open fire just metres away from a police station, then who is actually in control in Goa — the police or the criminals?” he asked.
Chodankar said the firing incident exposed the government’s hollow claims about maintaining law and order.
He demanded that the government and police immediately identify the perpetrators, establish the motive behind the firing and ensure that no political influence is allowed to derail the police probe.
GPCC vice-president Sunil Kawthankar said that when criminals dare to launch a gunfight, firing bullets at a businessman just 100 metres from the North Goa SP’s office, it is not just a total collapse of law and order but also a reflection of how BJP government’s blatant corruption is turning the state into a ‘sin city’, where policing has been reduced to a mere hafta collection exercise, freely allowing all illegalities to run smoothly for a price.
