Pernem: Goa Police have arrested seven persons, including two canoe owners, for allegedly carrying out illegal sand extraction from the Terekhol river in Pernem taluka of North Goa, even as an investigation is underway into a linked firing incident that left two labourers injured earlier this week.
According to Superintendent of Police (North) Rahul Gupta, the arrests were made on October 30 following an FIR registered under the Goa, Daman and Diu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1985 after it was found that the group had been extracting sand without valid permissions.
The arrested accused have been identified as Robert Fernandes (46) and Ashok Mulgaonkar (48), both residents of Poroscodem in Pernem, who allegedly owned the canoe used in the operation, and five labourers — Sonelal Chaudhary (25), Munna Bin (38), Sonu Paswan (21), Vikas Bin (31) and Yogendra Chaudhary (30) — all natives of Bihar currently residing in Goa.
Police said the group was involved in sand extraction from the Terekhol river at Uguvem, Pernem, on the intervening night of October 27 and 28, when an unidentified assailant opened fire on two other labourers — Ramrishi Paswan (54) and Lalbabu God (37) — who were part of the same team. Both sustained bullet injuries and were admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) in Bambolim for treatment.
The shooting incident was initially registered as Pernem Police Station Crime No. 66/2025, under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3 read with Section 25 of the Arms Act, while a separate offence for illegal sand extraction was registered as Crime No. 67/2025, under Sections 303(2) and 3(5) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 62(2) of the Goa, Daman & Diu Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1985.
Police said that the arrests were made following an investigation into the illegal activity and that more than 35 arms licence holders from the area have been interrogated, with over 35 weapons checked by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team to trace the firearm used in the attack.
“We are investigating the illegal sand extraction as well as the firing incident from all angles. Efforts are on to identify and nab the person responsible for opening fire,” Gupta said.
