Motorcycle thief rides into Raj Bhavan

PANAJI: In a serious security lapse, a motorcycle thief recently rode into Raj Bhavan and almost got to the office of the governor, who has a Z+
security cover. Police are now investigating how the rider got in, and that too around 7.40am, when the governor takes his morning walk. Besides, the incident took place on December 1, when the Goa was on alert because of the International Film Festival of India.

Sources said that one Amit Gadve, 24, arrived in Goa from Sangli, stole a bike and later rode into the Raj Bhavan complex. His identity was not checked by the guards at the main gate, who were told by the thief that he had come to meet his friend Santan, a Raj Bhavan employee who stays in the staff quarters. Santan was out of station at that time and has rejoined only recently.

After entering the campus, instead of oing to the employee quarters, he headed for the main building. An alert staff then stopped him and informed the police. SP (North) Bosco George confirmed the incident: “The accused entered Raj Bhavan with a stolen vehicle and was arrested.”

Cops came to know of the stolen bike after they brought Amit to the police station.

The two-wheeler had been reported missing from Campal on November 30. “Amit claimed that he was disturbed as his wife had left him and gone off to Mumbai. He came to Vasco by train on November 29 and stole the bike next day from Campal.

(Preetu Venugopalan Nair, TNN 9 December 2009, 05:30am IST. Appeared in the times of india, goa)