dhargalim after a weeklong chase pernem police arrested three persons in the dhargalim double murder case on thursday a week ago the elderly couple reginaldo coutinho 87 and joyce coutinho 76 was found murdered in their farmhouse at dhargalim in pernem the couple resided at dhargalim but are natives of xellbastora in bardez police investigation has revealed a sordid story of how the elderly couple were murdered by a man who they had forgiven for assaulting them on a previous occasion and betrayal by two neighbours who called out to them at night and they opened their door to pernem police have arrested anil zhate 26 a native of buldhana district in maharashtra and two locals anant veer 32 and rajesh veer 25 zhate was detained by police for questioning on september 20 while anant and rajesh were picked up by the cops at 230am on thursday after laying a trap for them previous enmity over a job was the motive behind the gruesome murder of the elderly couple police sources said zhate was a former employee of the couple in their milk distribution business five years ago he was sacked from the job for unprofessional business behaviour and allegedly hatched the plot to avenge his sacking from the job by the elderly couple police said zhate was recently lodged in sada jail for another theft case and he was released on july 3 police are probing whether he plotted the murder of the couple whilst being in jail sources said that the cops got the first lead after the main accused zhate was detained on suspicion that he had previously attacked the elderly couple five years ago sources said that zhate was a milk supplier but was allegedly irregular in making payments to the elderly couple from whom he purchased milk from fed up with the unprofessional business behavior by zhate the elderly couple had sacked him from the job zhates wife was also working with the elderly couple in their dairy farm at that time after zhate was sacked he allegedly assaulted the elderly couple in revenge and also robbed gold ornaments belonging to them sources said that police had arrested zhate and had recovered the stolen gold ornaments the elderly couple showing mercy to the accused forgave him and later withdrew the police complaint police sources said that zhate hatched the plot to murder the couple and he took the aid of two locals anant veer and rajesh veer both residents of dhargalim zhate purchased a koita chopper from the market in banda maharashtra zhate was aware that the couple had two wellbred pet dogs who could be a hurdle to his motive to take care of the dogs he purchased waste from a broiler shop in siolim and fed it to the canines zhate then instructed his accomplices anant and rajesh to ring the doorbell as anant and rajesh were neighbours of the elderly couple and were known to them joyce opened the door zhate used