Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Aug 29: An unidentified man was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people in Nuvem, Salcete, on Thursday evening after being suspected of stealing a two-wheeler from Colva, police said.

Maina-Curtorim Police have registered a murder case against four named persons and unidentified individuals and arrested three accused — Greyson Fernandes, Domnic Fernandes and Francis Dias.

According to the preliminary investigation, the deceased was allegedly involved in the theft of a two-wheeler from Colva earlier in the day.

Police said the owner had parked his two-wheeler before going to watch a football match. On returning, he found the vehicle missing and checked CCTV footage, which showed a person allegedly stealing the bike.

Later in the evening, the owner reportedly spotted the person seen in the CCTV footage and confronted him at Nuvem.

South Goa SP Tikam Singh Verma said the murder case was registered following a complaint about an unlawful assault that resulted in the death of an unidentified male.

"On the evening of Thursday at Nuvem, an unlawful assembly of individuals intercepted and assaulted a 30-year-old unidentified male person with kicks and fist blows on suspicion of involvement in the theft of a two-wheeler from Colva earlier that evening," Singh said.

The injured man was subsequently taken to the casualty department of South Goa District Hospital (SGDH), Margao, where doctors declared him brought dead, the SP said.

"Maina-Curtorim police have arrested three accused. The stolen two-wheeler has been secured," Singh said.

Police have deployed multiple teams to identify the deceased, verify the roles of those involved and apprehend others allegedly connected with the unlawful gathering and assault.