LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), in a joint operation with the Goa Crime Branch, arrested a suspected shooter wanted in connection with a firing incident at a hotel in Goa, officials said on Saturday.The accused, identified as Babu (35), a resident of Buddapurwa under Risia police station in Bahraich district, was arrested from the Risia Mod Park culvert area in Bahraich at around 5.39 pm on September 12, shortly before he could allegedly escape to Nepal.The arrest was made in connection with FIR registered at Porvorim police station in Bardez district of Goa, in connection with the shooting of Shri Nivara Nayak at Hotel Neo Majestic on August 28.According to the STF, the firing took place at Hotel Neo Majestic in the Porvorim police station area of Bardez, Goa, on August 28. Several rounds were fired at Nayak in the incident, following which the attackers fled the spot.During the subsequent investigation, Goa Crime Branch identified Babu as one of the shooters allegedly involved in the attack. The Goa Crime Branch subsequently sought assistance from the Uttar Pradesh STF to trace and arrest him.Deputy SP, STF, Pramesh Shukla said during intelligence gathering in Bahraich, the teams received information that Babu, who was wanted in the Goa firing case, was preparing to cross into Nepal.STF and Goa Crime Branch teams mounted a joint operation and intercepted the accused at Risia Mod Park culvert. Police said Babu was taken into custody after necessary use of force.The accused was subsequently handed over to the Goa Police for further legal proceedings.“During questioning, Babu told investigators that he came into contact with a person named Anna while visiting a jail in connection with his brother, who had been lodged in Taloja jail in 2014 in a case related to allegedly taking a girl away,” said Dy SP Shukla.STF, Babu became acquainted with Anna during his visits to the jail. After Anna was released in 2024, he reportedly started a juice and vada-pav shop in Goa.Babu said his brother subsequently sent him to work with Anna. He went to Goa in January 2026 and began working at the shop.According to the STF, Babu told investigators that Anna had criminal antecedents and arranged for three pistols. He allegedly handed one of the weapons to Babu and told him that they had to shoot a “big person” and that he would be paid ₹5 lakh for carrying out the assignment.Babu admitted to investigators that, motivated by the promised payment, he accompanied Anna and participated in the firing at Shri Nivara Nayak inside Hotel Neo Majestic.The accused claimed that several rounds were fired during the attack before the group fled the location.Babu further told investigators that after the incident, he handed the pistol back to Anna on his instructions and travelled to Mumbai, where he stayed with his brother for a few days.He subsequently returned to Bahraich, where he was allegedly preparing to flee to Nepal when the joint STF-Goa Crime Branch team intercepted and arrested him.
