The director of the Majestic Pride group, which runs offshore and onshore casinos in Goa, escaped unharmed after two armed assailants fired gunshots at him outside a hotel in Porvorim near Panaji on Friday night. He said the accused appeared to have conducted a recce of his movements.

Srinivas Nayak, director of the offshore casino Majestic Pride, told , “I usually leave for home after 8 pm. Yesterday, as I exited the office premises to get into the car, two people, who had been waiting outside… suddenly opened fire at me. I think they fired 3-4 gunshots. Fortunately, my bodyguard retaliated and fired 3 rounds, which forced the assailants to flee. In the meantime, I quickly ran inside the premises.”

“It seems they had done a recce of my movements,” he said. He added that he had not received any threats in the past and did not have any rivalry with anyone. “I do not want to speculate on the motive for the shooting and jeopardise the police investigation. I have recorded my statement, and police are investigating,” Nayak said.

Story continues below this ad

The FIR lodged at Porvorim police station said two unknown accused persons “openly fired three to four gunshots towards the complainant when he was about to leave the hotel premises to his house”.

“However, the complainant escaped unhurt, thereby attempted to kill him and ran away towards the Highway. Further considering the immediate and imminent threat to the life of the complainant, his bodyguard, who was present with the complainant, fired three rounds in response for the purpose of protecting the life of the complainant. The act of openly firing by the accused persons resulted in endangering [the] lives of guests and staff present in the hotel lobby,” the FIR read.

The FIR has been registered against two unknown accused under Sections 109(1) (attempt to murder) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), read with Sections 3/5 of the BNS and Section 3 of the Arms Act.

Meanwhile, police recovered purported CCTV footage from the location, in which the two shooters could be seen waiting near the hotel gate and firing three rounds at the complainant. Police said a preliminary probe suggests the shooters were from outside the state and had been hired for the killing.

Story continues below this ad

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said this was the first such incident during his tenure. “Police are conducting an extensive investigation. Those involved in the incident will be arrested at the earliest. No one will be spared. The reason behind the attack is being investigated,” Sawant said.