Cops smoke ‘Tiger Anwar’ out from hiding in Karnataka

MARGAO: A notorious criminal wanted for several serious crimes at a number of police stations in South Goa, Anwar Shaikh, known as Tiger Anwar, was arrested from his hideout at Saundatti, Karnataka in a pre-dawn raid conducted by the police. In the latest case, he has been arrested on charges of abducting and raping a woman, a case registered at the Quepem police station on November 15. Three of his accomplices involved in the crime were already arrested earlier.Police sources said that the survivor was abducted from Quepem in May and taken to Dharwad, Karnataka, where she was confined to a room and sexually abused by Shaikh and three others for nearly six months. The survivor managed to escape from her abductors and lodged a complaint with the Quepem police. The police swung into action, and based on the physical descriptions provided by the survivor , arrested Shivdatt alias Shiva Talwar from Ponda on November 16. On Monday, two other accused – Tulshidas Raju Naik , a resident of Curchorem, and Raghavendra Tangvas Devar , a resident of Margao, were nabbed while they were waiting to board a train at the Canacona railway station. On interrogating them, police learnt that Shaikh was hiding in Karnataka. “In Dharwad, the team learnt that Anwar had left for Saundatti, and headed to the pilgrimage town. After a massive search, Anwar was located in a hotel that he had turned into his hideout ,” South Goa SP Arvind Gawas said.He has been charged under sections 365 (abduction), 342 (wrongful confinement), 376 d (gang rape), 506-ii (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Apart from the current case, Shaikh is wanted in five other cases at Colva, Margao, Fatorda and Curchorem police stations in cases like murder, dacoity, extortion, robbery, burglary and rioting.