Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji

Panaji, Apr 22: In a chilling late-night robbery, at least four armed men broke into the home of a prominent business family in Dona Paula’s upscale Nagalli Hills and escaped with gold and cash, leaving an elderly couple tied up and shaken.

The victims, 77-year-old Jaiprakash Dempo and 71-year-old Padmini Dempo, were reportedly fast asleep when the intruders entered their home between 12 am and 4 am on Saturday night. According to police sources, the robbers, armed with sharp weapons, assaulted the security guard and forcibly entered through the back of the bungalow.

The intruders allegedly tied up the guard and confined him to the bathroom, before binding the elderly couple in their bedroom. The robbers then ransacked the house, escaping with 1 kg of gold ornaments and Rs 3 lac in cash, the complaint states.

The horrifying incident came to light when the family’s domestic help arrived the next morning and found the victims in distress. A senior officer at Panaji Police Station confirmed that an FIR has been registered under Section 310(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for dacoity.

Goa DGP Alok Kumar visited the crime scene on Monday, and said that multiple police teams and the Crime Branch are working the case. “We are scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify and track the suspects,” a police spokesperson stated.

A senior officer, requesting anonymity, said the caretaker suffered a leg injury during the assault and has received medical treatment. “The couple is stable but understandably traumatised,” he added.

The brazen robbery has rattled residents of the usually quiet Dona Paula neighborhood, prompting calls for increased night patrols and enhanced home security.