2 held in Virar for Goa murders

The Goa police on Friday arrested two men from Mumbai in connection with the murder of four women in Goa earlier this week.

The Goa police on Friday arrested two men from Mumbai in connection with the murder of four women in Goa earlier this week.

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Chandrakant Talwar and Siren Rodrigues were arrested from a temple in the western suburb of Virar.

HT had reported that a prime suspect in the killings had fled to Mumbai and a Goa police team was camping in the city to trace and arrest him.

“Both are history-sheeters and belong to a gang of robbers,” said Goa’s Deputy Inspector General of Police R. S. Yadav.

Chandrakant and Siren have been arrested for killing Evita Rodrigues (16), a resident of Panaji whose body was found Tuesday by the roadside covered with a plastic sheet. “We suspect they are also involved in the other three killings,” said Yadav. “We will know the motive once we question them.”

The police traced Chandrakant and Siren from Evita’s cell phone records. The duo had made several calls on Evita’s cell phone before she was killed.

According to Goa police officers involved in the investigation, Siren had been booked on October 7 for kidnapping another 16-year-old, Stephie Rodrigues, from Panaji. Stephie and Siren were summoned the next day when Stephie denied knowing the accused. She has been missing since then and Siren went untraceable.

A Goa police officer, requesting anonymity, said: “Chandrakant has recently taken over the leadership of his gang after the earlier leader died, which is involved in several cases of robbery. Siren has been disowned by his family.”