Staff Reporter
Mapusa
Police arrested a 28-year-old Karnataka native with a history of theft-related offenses in connection with a burglary at a villa in Parra. The accused, Pundalik Chavan alias Lamani, a native of Hubballi, was previously involved in multiple house theft cases in Goa and Karnataka, police said.
Police recovered stolen property, including a pair of diamond solitaire earrings and cash, valued at Rs 5 lakh.
Officials said that the incident occurred on January 21 between 2.15 am and 2.29 am when the accused allegedly broke into the villa by forcibly opening the balcony door. He fled with a ziplock pouch containing diamond solitaire earrings, a gold bracelet, and Rs 10,000 in cash.
The theft was reported by Rakshit Gupta, a Hyderabad native who was staying at the villa with his family. Police said the stolen valuables belonged to Gupta’s wife.
Mapusa police registered a theft case under the BNSS Act and launched an investigation. A team led by PI Nikhil Palekar, under the supervision of DySP Sandesh Chodankar, tracked down the accused using human and technical intelligence.
Further investigation is underway.