4 cops suspended for duty laxity
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 23
Acting swiftly on media reports and evidence showcasing negligence on part of Goa Police during escort duties, the department on Wednesday suspended four constables attached to its Escort Cell for the easy escape of an undertrial from a moving van and in another incident for allowing an undertrial the privilege of an ice-cream treat.
Police spokesperson Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) Atmaram Deshpande told reporters that police constables – Gaurish Pednekar and Sadanand Malik — were suspended after notorious gangster Michael Fernandes escaped from judicial custody while on his way for medical check up at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Bambolim.
Fernandes jumped from the window of the moving police escort vehicle – a Swaraj Mazda bus (GA-01-G-2037) near the Chicalim junction on Tuesday evening. The jailbird fled on a Yamaha motorcycle (GA-07-H-1429), whose driver was following the bus.
Fernandes who had confessed to accepting ‘supari’ from one Joe Boy to kill Home Minister Ravi Naik’s son Roy and harm his family has been accused in 22 other cases of thefts, robberies and dacoities in Goa and Maharashtra.
“We have launched intense manhunt to trace Fernandes. Our counterparts have been informed about the escape,” Deshpande said.
In the other case, two police constables – Pradeep Patil and Suraj Gaonkar – were placed under suspension for allowing an under trial Balesh Desai to enjoy an ice-cream in a parlour near Goa Shipyard Limited at Vaddem-Vasco. Very little did the cops know that Herald and a TV channel were on their trail watching the complete dereliction of duty.
Balesh was involved in the sensational Samir Mapari killing in 2007. Deshpande said both the constables had accompanied Balesh to the primary health centre at Chicalim late night after he complained of uneasiness.
Admitting that the two incidents were complete breach of discipline, Deshpande said all precautions will be taken by the department to see such incidents are not repeated in future.
Meanwhile, Deshpande said human rights intervention force police personnel not to handcuff prisoners. Secondly, shortage of buses for the Escort Cell results in prisoners being transported in regular buses, he mentioned.
The SP observed under trialswere not handcuffed on their way to court or while being taken for medical examination, which gives them a chance to run away.
“In earlier two instances an undertrial had escaped from GMC by jumping off the building and in another case, a noted criminal managed to flee from Candolim health centre by spilling chilli powder on the personnel of the escort team,” he added.
The spokesman said availability of medical facilities within jail premises will resolve the issue of prisoners fleeing at regular intervals.
