Goa Casino Director Survives Shooting; Bodyguard's Fire Forces Attackers to Flee
Casino director Srinivas Nayak escaped an assassination bid in Porvorim when his bodyguard returned fire, forcing two gunmen to flee. Police suspect hired shooters.
Srinivas Nayak, director of the Majestic Pride group which operates offshore and onshore casinos in Goa, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Friday night. Two armed men fired multiple shots at him outside a hotel in Porvorim, near Panaji, but he emerged unharmed after his bodyguard retaliated.
Nayak stated that he typically leaves for home after 8 pm. As he was exiting his office premises to enter his car, two individuals who had been waiting nearby opened fire. He estimated that 3-4 shots were fired at him. His bodyguard responded by firing three rounds, which forced the assailants to flee the scene. Nayak quickly retreated inside the premises.
The director indicated that the attackers appeared to have conducted a recce of his movements. He mentioned that he had not received any prior threats and had no known rivalry with anyone. He refrained from speculating on the motive, stating he did not want to jeopardise the police investigation and had already recorded his statement.
The First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Porvorim police station states that two unknown accused persons openly fired three to four gunshots towards the complainant as he was about to leave for his house. The FIR notes that the complainant escaped unhurt and that his bodyguard fired three rounds in response to protect his life. It also mentions that the act of firing endangered the lives of guests and staff present in the hotel lobby.
The FIR has been registered against two unknown accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act, including charges of attempt to murder and act endangering life or personal safety.
Police have recovered CCTV footage from the location, which shows the two shooters waiting near the hotel gate and firing at the complainant. A preliminary probe suggests the shooters were from outside the state and had been hired for the killing.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that this was the first such incident during his tenure. He assured that police are conducting an extensive investigation and that those involved will be arrested at the earliest, with no one being spared. The motive behind the attack is currently under investigation.