Robbers, who attacked cabbie in Goa, part of interstate gang

Mapusa: Robbers who escaped after attacking a taxi driver from Calangute at Malpem, Pernem, continued their spree of offences at Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, carrying out house burglary and thefts of two-wheelers and a mobile phone, said police sources.Police suspect the involvement of an interstate gang in this case. A joint investigation by Goa and Maharashtra police is ongoing.“It is a big gang, and its links are likely to be connected to Pune and Pandharpur,” a police officer from the team said.Old Goa police arrested two suspects for attacking a taxi driver and later committing a theft in Sawantwadi on Friday. Pernem police already arrested a suspect who is a minor.The suspects took a taxi from Calangute and were heading towards Maharashtra. On Wednesday night, they attacked taxi driver Sanjeev Vengurlekar in Malpem and injured him after he resisted. The suspects fled towards Sawantwadi. Vengurlekar is undergoing treatment at GMC, Bambolim.On Thursday morning, the suspects continued their crimes in Sawantwadi. They stole two motorcycles from the Sawantwadi area and mobile phones of workers sleeping at a park.

They also stole items from a bungalow in a colony.Goa police reached Sawantwadi in search of the accused, but the suspects fled before police arrived.Police suspect that the thieves went towards Kankavli since the motorcycle was found at Kankavli-Shivdav. Sawantwadi police have started an investigation based on CCTV cameras in the city. Sindhudurg police sent teams to Goa and other places to investigate the robbers.