Armed robbers break into Goa home, tie up residents, leave with gold, cash, car — but after taking a tea and snacks break

According to police, the robbery took place between 3 am and 5 am in Mapusa’s Ganesh Puri area. Police said one of the accused cut a side window grill to break into the house and allowed the others to enter. Four people were in the house at the time of the incident — Dr Mahendra Kamat Ghanekar, his 80-year-old mother, his wife, and a minor daughter.

Police said the 80-year-old woman woke up at 3.30 am, and as per her routine, went to the kitchen to make tea. “The accused accosted her and threatened the family members, before tying them up with bedsheets. The robbers were masked and were carrying rods and knives. They ransacked the house and took at least Rs 10 lakh cash and jewellery worth at least Rs 40 lakh. The accused escaped in the family’s car,” said a police officer.

Police said the accused “helped themselves to tea”, which the doctor’s mother had prepared, and took some food from the refrigerator. “During the robbery, they reassured the victims that they were not going to harm them,” said a police officer.

A relative of the family told the media that all the accused were conversing in Hindi, suggesting that they were from outside the state. “They took the smartphones of the family members before escaping,” the relative said.

According to police, the car in which the accused escaped was found abandoned under a bridge in Panaji. Senior police officers, including DGP Alok Kumar and North Goa SP Rahul Gupta, visited the spot.

Chief Minister Sawant, who also visited the house, said, “Police are conducting a detailed inquiry and we will catch the culprits. The probe is on track. We are tightening our nakabandis, and I have given instructions to the police to tighten night-time security. It appears that this is the work of professionals, and so the first priority of the police is to track down who did this.”

In the police complaint, Dr Mahendra Kamat Ghanekar alleged that seven unknown accused persons entered his house by breaking the metal grills of the main hall of the house, wrongfully restrained him and his family members by tying them with cloth strings, and stole gold ornaments, silver articles, cash and an Alto car. He also said that he and his family members suffered injuries and that they were threatened with dire consequences.

Police have registered an FIR and launched a manhunt to apprehend the accused.

An investigator, requesting anonymity, said, “The modus operandi of the accused is similar to another dacoity in Dona Paula in April, four armed robbers barged into the house of a senior citizen couple of a reputed business family, tied them up in a bedroom and decamped with gold and cash. The accused in that case are yet to be traced.”

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