It is no secret that Goa has become a safe haven for notorious criminals. The law and order in the State has been questionable, but the government seems to have gotten immune to such accusations. If the political leaders had cared enough about Goa, then a scheme to cleanup the State would have been implemented by now.
It is an open secret that the men in khaki are never given a free hand to tackle crimes and political interference is seen in most cases. This has led to tarnishing of the State’s reputation across the globe. The recent incidents are proof enough to depict that Goa has become a favourite hiding place for criminals and anti-social elements.
The recent by the Telangana’s anti-narcotic squad on a rave party at Gachibowli in February last led to the seizure of various banned substances. The startling revelations made by the Telangana police that the seized narcotics supplied at the rave party had its origins from the Colvale Central Jail. The jail authorities who were expected to clarify on the allegations made by the Telangana police, have maintained a stoic silence.
The government is aware that hardcore criminals were repeatedly in the news for the wrong reasons in the Colvale Jail in the past. Sources revealed that undertrials managed to smuggle dismantled cellphone parts in their undergarments whenever they are taken for court hearings or medicals. The dismantled parts are then assembled in jail.
Former jail official Bosco George said that it is indeed very easy to have access to a phone inside the Colvale Jail and running such a racket like this is not a difficult task.
It may be recalled that four jail employees including two jailers were suspended in October last year after videos of Ravana’s effigy being burnt at a programme went viral on social media which were posted by prisoners via their cellphones. On March 5, a police squad comprising Haryana and Delhi officials arrested two sharpshooters from a hotel in North Goa. The duo had killed Indian National Lok Dal Haryana unit’s head Nafe Singh Rathi on February 25 and then fled to Goa. There are many such criminals in Goa, who have been arrested and taken back by Delhi, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Police.
There may be many other hardcore criminals hiding safely here for months if not years. Police often seize few grams or kilos of ganja and then pose for photos ops with the masked criminals.
They however never go to find out the source from where the contraband is procured from or who the main suppliers are.
Why the small fries rot in prison, the big sharks (drug lords) continue to freely move around in Goa, while our men in uniform often prefer to see no evil.
According to police, there are dubious agents, who provide bogus Aadhaar Cards and driving licences which proves that it is easy for criminals to fake their identity.
These non-Goan criminals have taken over businesses with absolute control. The law however needs to pin down such elements. It all depends on the government’s will crack its whip on such elements.
While Goa gaining popularity for hosting multi-crore mega events such as IFFI, National Games, International Purple Festival, G-20 Summit, India Energy Week, etc, at the same time it is also earning a bad name as its reputation has been tarnished by drug-related crimes, road accidents rapes, murders, contract killings and kidnapping cases.
These are indications that the law and order in the State has gone for a toss. Which model of development does Goa represent exactly? It’s high time the State goes through a thorough cleanup and weed out the criminals hiding in our Bhangarachem Goem before they kill the golden goose.
