BY A GT REPORTER
MARGAO: A Vasco court yesterday remanded to police custody two members of the armed gang which unsuccesful attempted to abduct 23-year-old Chicalim resident, Sayad Ayaz for ransom, on Thursday-Friday.
One of the two, Parriket Dileshwar Handi of Assam, had been nabbed by the police on Saturday evening itself after a filmi-style chase in which PI Sagar Ekoskar and a constable were injured in a shoot-out. The second accused, Venkantash G Shrinivas (27) of Orissa was caught by a police team comprising PI Santosh Desai, PSI Dataguru Sawant and others at the Canaguinim creek, Betul, after firing
some rounds in the air.
Two of their accomplices -- Immadar Ali of Andra Pradesh and Sarog K Jha of Orissa -- are still absconding.
Meanwhile, DGP Bhimsen Bassi has announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for police personnel involved in the operation and another Rs 10,000 for local residents who helped the police.
Police sources said, all the accused resided in a rented premises belonging to one Alex Silva situated behind the Pirna-Verna panchayat. The rooms were raided but no weapons were found.
Shrinivas, who had a grudge against Sayad, is suspected to be the brain behind the plan. He roped in the other three accused in his plan by enticing them that they could earn the Rs 15 lakh ransom.
Meawnhile, police have stocked tear gas in the event the two absconding accused fire at police parties who are still combing the densely forested locality in Canaguinim. A navy helicopter was also used to track down the absconders, but it failed to yield any positive result.
Interestingly, the white Maruti van used in the abduction drama is learnt to belong to Mapusa resident Sham Davle. Three days before it was traced, Davle's wife had filed a complaint with the Mapusa police that the van was stolen/ missing.
‘Ayaz not Bombay Bazaar salesman’
Meanwhile, Bombay Bazaar, a popular departmental store in Panjim, has clarified that Ayaz, the victim of the abduction drama who was rescued by the police from the clutches of his abductors, is not their salesman.
GT had on Saturday reported that Ayaz was a salesman with the departmental store.
