Goa’s weak link has been often exposed as various criminals and terrorists arrested across India have admitted to having resided in some rented premises in the State, as these are easily and cheaply available. The thriving tourism industry may be one reason for this as there are thousands of rented premises in Goa, especially along the coastal belt, as landlords and house owners let houses and rooms on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
While tourist guides lead potential customers to house owners, the web is a major platform where apartment owners announce the availability of their premises on rent. And, despite the increasing number of terrorists and terror suspects having claimed to have stayed in Goa, this continues unchecked and unnoticed.
Deputy Inspector General of Goa Police, Vimal Anand Gupta, while refuting the claim that Goa is preferred as hideout, said, “This is a main tourist destination and people randomly come to Goa. It is not that this is safe destination to hideout.”
Under the law, tenant verification, for domestic as well as foreign tourists, is mandatory under section 144(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973.
The District Magistrate, under section 144(1) of the CrPC regularly orders that owners of houses, flats, buildings and other residential premises should fill in the tenant/visitor verification forms in respect of tenant/visitor before they are allowed to reside/stay in their premises and in turn furnish the same to the local police station for further verification and record. Any person violating this order is punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
The order of the District Magistrate is enforceable for two months and needs to be renewed based on police request. In Goa, the District Superintendent sends a request at the peak of the tourist season during December and January.
There have been a number of instances of criminals and terrorists staying in Goa and the State Police having no clue about their stay, despite the State having an area of 3702 kilometers with 26 police stations, one CID center in each district and 37 police outposts.
Hotel owners and managements keep records of the identity proof and other relevant documents of tourist as required under the law and produce this before the local police station at regular intervals of time. Sources, however, said that with no list of service apartments it is difficult to keep watch over them.
