By Sanjay Borkar
Daijiworld Media Network—Margao (CN)
Margao, May 15: Irate residents of Ponda, Bethora, Tarvale-Shiroda, Panchwadi, and Nirankal villages, took out a ‘morcha’ to Ponda police station on Thursday May 14 demanding the arrest of the wife of serial killer Mahanand Naik to unearth her involvement in the cases her husband has confessed to and to throw light on more cases.
Around 500-odd people gathered at Ponda police station, located a distance of 19 km from here, chanting slogans with placards in their hands and demanded that the wife of Naik be arrested immediately, alleging her help in killing the girls and robbing them.
In the memorandum submitted to the police, they have urged the local law enforcement to seek the help of the CBI and to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the culprit is convicted.
They have also demanded that an enquiry be conducted into the movable and immovable assets held by the Naik couple.
Meanwhile, yet another family has approached the police stating that their daughter Sushila Thanu Fatarpekar (24) from Curca Bambolim, had gone missing on October 24, 2007, after she had left home wearing gold ornaments.
Ponda police inspector Chandrakant Patil said that this case was similar to the others reported and matches the modus operandi of Naik.
Patil also revealed that the accused was arrested on January 25, 2007, for allegedly snatching a gold chain worth Rs 6,000 from a girl in Priol-Ponda.
On Thursday, DySP Serafin Dias told the people in the morcha that the investigation is on and they have sought the guidance of superiors in this connection.
Responding to the demand for the arrest of Pooja Naik, the wife of the accused, Dias said that they cannot just arrest anyone without adequate evidence and assured that they would arrest her if incriminating evidence was found against her.
DySP Dias urged the people to co-operate with the police in this case and to approach them immediately if any vital evidence was found.
Participants in the morcha expressed the concern that Pooja might destroy evidnce against her husband if she was not arrested immediately.
The angry people also blocked the main road between Ponda and Margao for about two hours and torched an effigy of Mahanand Naik in front of the police station.