Panaji: Goa police investigations into the Mapusa and Dona Paula dacoity cases have uncovered that the accused Bangladeshi nationals entered India from Meghalaya. The gang meticulously planned the dacoities in Goa, with one of its members developing a criminal network while incarcerated in Colvale jail.
Entry and Planning
The primary accused, Noor Islam, had been entering India every six months since 2010 to conduct dacoities across various parts of the country. He was instrumental in bringing the rest of the gang to Goa. After his release from jail in Andhra Pradesh, he returned to Goa and used his jail-developed network to execute the crimes.
Modus Operandi
The gang conducted thorough reconnaissance for about two days to understand the sleeping patterns of the targeted families. They studied the number of family members and the easiest entry points into the houses. The accused divided themselves into small groups of two to three to avoid detection. They used fixed meeting points such as bus stands, railway stations, and beach areas and avoided technical communication methods to remain undetected.
The criminals were well-equipped with weapons like rods and knives to threaten residents and in case of retaliation. The source of these weapons is still under investigation. Upon gaining unlawful entry, they assessed the internal layout, identified locked and unlocked rooms, and selectively targeted accessible areas for theft.
Arrests and Investigation
DGP Alok Kumar stated that the accused were identified long ago by Goa police, and the main accused has been arrested. After the crimes, they escaped to Bangladesh. The five arrested individuals are Noor Islam (also known as Nadim Khan), Md Saiful Islam, Sattar Khan, Zakir Hauladar, and Md Sumon Hauladar, all from Bangladesh.
Crime branch SP Rahul Gupta revealed that they crossed the border from Meghalaya. Noor Islam, who has a prior criminal history in Goa, was familiar with the state. He was in Colvale jail for nearly 22 months before being transferred to Andhra Pradesh, where he secured bail. He then returned to Goa for dacoities.
During the offenses, the accused assaulted and tied up family members present in the houses before decamping with gold ornaments and other valuables. The total value of stolen items is Rs 55 lakh—Rs 35 lakh from the Dona Paula dacoity and Rs 20 lakh from the Mapusa dacoity.
Goa police teams were dispatched to Belagavi, Bijapur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Tripura, and Meghalaya. Gang members were identified, and details were shared with state police departments for coordinated action.
