Panaji: Goa Police have successfully cracked two major dacoity cases reported in 2025 at Dona Paula and Ganeshpuri (Mapusa), following an extensive year-long investigation. The cases, registered on April 20 and October 7, 2025, were later transferred to the Crime Branch in January 2026 for further probe. Acting on inputs from Goa Police, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police arrested six accused persons on the intervening night of April 14–15, 2026, while they were allegedly planning another dacoity. Five of the accused have since been brought to Goa on a transfer warrant after a 30-hour train journey and were produced before the JMFC Panaji on April 30, 2026, where they were remanded to 11 days of police custody. One more accused is expected to be brought to Goa soon. As all accused are Bangladeshi nationals, relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 2025, will also be invoked.
The accused, identified as Md. Nasir, Noor Islam alias Nadim Khan, Md. Saiful Islam, Sohail Khan, Md. Suman Hauladar alias Babu alias Pappu, and Zakir Hauladar, hail from Bagerhat district in Bangladesh. Investigations revealed that the gang entered India through the Meghalaya border and operated across multiple states. One of the key accused, Noor Islam, had prior links to Goa and was previously lodged in Colvale Jail, which helped the gang plan operations locally. During the investigation, Goa Police teams travelled across several cities including Belgaum, Bijapur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Tripura, and Meghalaya, using CCTV analysis, technical surveillance, and intelligence inputs to trace the suspects.
Earlier, in the Dona Paula case, a local accused Mahmood from Calangute was arrested for providing logistical support to the gang, while in the Mapusa case, two Bengaluru-based individuals were arrested for sheltering one of the accused. Preliminary interrogation has revealed that the gang conducted detailed reconnaissance of targeted houses, often staying in secluded areas to monitor residents’ routines. They operated in small groups, avoided digital communication, and used fixed meeting points like bus stands and beaches. The accused were armed with rods and knives procured locally and would assault and restrain occupants before fleeing with gold and valuables.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of DGP Alok Kumar, IGP Keshav Ram Chaurasiya, DIG Crime Varsha Sharma, and led by SP Crime Rahul Gupta, along with a dedicated Crime Branch team and officers from multiple police stations across Goa. Further investigation is underway to recover stolen property and weapons used in the crimes.
