from Sanjay Borkar in Margao
for Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
Margao, Mar 12: In a typical filmi style, and without any help from the police, one Dany Pereira (20), along with his two friends succeeded in catching a bike-lifter who had stolen his bike, on Miramar beach in north Goa, 45 Km from here.
But while taking him to the Cuncolim Police station in South Goa, 14 Km from here, the alleged thief, Melvin Fernandes, tried to stop the car at Jakriband–Navelim by veering the steering wheel, which resulted in the car going wayward off the road and falling 10 metres down the bridge.
This incident took place at 9 pm on Sunday. According to the Margao Police, four Karizma bikes had been stolen from the vicinity of Cuncolim, and complaints filed with them in the matter.
Melvin Fernades had bike-lifting charges filed against him in the past and the police suspected his hand in these thefts. He was even behind the bars for some time and was released only recently. The complainants were therefore given his photographs so that identification was possible.
On Sunday, one of Pereira's friends informed him that the person in the photograph was seen moving around in Panaji. Dany immediately rushed to Panaji with his friends Claud Cardoz and Anthony Zacharias, but they could not find Melvin. Taking a chance, they went to the Miramar beach, where Dany spotted a Karizma bike looking exactly like his stolen bike, except the number-plate. On a closer look, he identified it to be his own bike, on the basis of a sticker he had pasted on it. Then it was certain that it was his bike and only the number-plate was fake.
The trio waited for the thief to come on the scene. As he (Melvin) came near the bike to start, the three brave youngsters pounced on him and put him in the Opel Corsa car they came in. As they were taking him to the Cuncolim police station, Melwin disturbed the driver and tried to escape.
As already mentioned, the car went off the road and met with a mishap. Four of them including alleged thief sustained injuries and were admitted in Hospicio hospital, Margao.
Margao and Cuncolim police are investigating the case and are hoping to bust yet another bike-lifting racket.