These names terrorised Mumbai literally as the city witnessed the serial bomb blasts and the regular gang wars spilling the blood of its members. While the gangs were more or less known by the person leading them, all the members including the don were known by their given name in the gang.
Their role diminished as most of them fled the country either to escape the clutches of the law or to live peacefully during the ‘second innings’ of their lives. A big chunk of them also drifted away from the underworld activities as they made a comfortable living stepping into the real estate business. Either way, not just Mumbai but the country as a whole had begun breathing with declining gang wars, bloodshed, extortion, and a lot of organized crime involving gangsters.
However, the ugly head of all these nefarious activities seems to gain momentum in Goa, once a peaceful State, which welcomed tourists to enjoy the serene beauty and businesses to take off and add to the growth story of the beach destination.
In the past few months, from gang wars to the recent brutal attack on a family outside a resort in North Goa, the State is witnessing every crime figure rising. The latest, the extortion of restaurant owners and hoteliers in lieu to be permitted to play loud music beyond the 10 pm deadline set by the High Court.
O Heraldo investigations have revealed that the extortionist duo, who go by the name ‘Ghosts’, invited the owners of clubs, restaurants, resorts and shacks in North Goa at a well-known resort in the capital to inform them about the offers and the consequences in the event of declining the offer. The ‘Ghosts’ have offered to permit the business owners to continue playing loud music beyond the permissible time by paying a monthly premium of Rs 8 lakh – Rs 30 lakh.
The business owners approached the Calangute MLA who has assured them of all the help from the government, however, the Home Ministry, which is the police department awaits an official complaint from the business owners to investigate the allegations. The DGP Jaspal Singh has categorically stated that he is not the judiciary to take suo motu cognizance and investigate the matter, despite an MLA from the ruling party and the State chief of the Aam Aadmi Party publicly acknowledging that the O Heraldo investigations are indeed true.
By refusing to act without receiving a formal complaint against the ‘Ghosts’, the police are exposing themselves as the guardians and protectors of the perpetrators who are pushing the State into a ‘crime-driven society’. First, in the brutal attack case, the police show a lackadaisical approach in filing the FIR against the culprits under ‘attempt to murder’ and now the regressive approach in handling the extortion allegations.
In August last year, Hyderabad Police’s attack on the drug mafia in Goa raised questions about the ability of Goa Police in cracking the underground network of kingpins and peddlers. In addition, the ever-increasing crime rate in the State pointing to the diminishing fear of the ‘executive’ and now the surrender to the extortion mafia, are all indications that the Goa Police force is functioning at the behest of ‘crime lords’.
By refusing to carry out investigations into the allegations, the Goa Police is providing an opportunity for criminals to raise their ugly heads in the State. Goa shouldn’t become the experimental lab for neo-gangsters and lead to the situation of Bombay of the 90s. It is the responsibility of the police force to shun the clout, be it political or otherwise, and reassure the citizens of the State, the tourists as well as businessmen, that Goa is a safe destination and no amount of pressure can dissuade the men in uniform from doing their duty in an earnest manner.