Across
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VIBHA VERMA
CHIMBEL: This is a story about slums, slumlords and slumdwellers.
This is where crime and politics meet, marry and live together. Indranagar, Chimbel, is less than 5 kms away from Panjim where the slum area has developed extensively. So has its notoriety.
The unending slum area which has spread its tentacles even on the nearby hill is a home for many historysheeters. Mehboob Mulla Shah alias Bichhu, Joaquim Pereira alias Bhageera, Ashpak Bhengre are few of the names who brought this locality to bad light due to their misdeeds.
Considered as haven for criminals, the slum area has been regularly a soft target for police who bloats up the number of arrested persons during prevention drives.
Things take a little different turn here during elections. Politicians’ eye votes and dole out promises. Victoria Fernandes, local MLA, who has been getting elected from St Cruz constituency, had also made similar promises. Many of them left unfulfilled.
The demography of this place indicates that 75 percent living here are Muslims and 90 percent have settled here from outside including places like Pakistan and Bangladesh.
This is a different part of Goa. Filth rules here and small shanties give it a typical Dharawi-kind of look.
There are slumdogs here and also slum lords. “Everything works on protection here. If you don’t have hold on the people who rule here, you can’t survive for long,” a local said, refusing to name himself. “Marna Hai Kya?” he shot back when asked whether we can quote him in the newspaper.
During the entire day, Indranagar has nothing to do as people here travel to Panjim for their work. Many of them are in the municipal market or doing some petty jobs around. As the night falls, the bus loads of people arrive here, and the locality is back to life.
While each individual transforms into votes during the election time, the major issues faced by people had remained unsettled.
“There is large scale unemployment here. Youths like to make quick money and they fall for the criminals. Give them employment and they will stop being criminal minded,” another resident said.
He termed many of the politicians, who arrive here as ‘money launderers’ and ‘extortionists.’ “They throw money and get the work done… Any work,” he added.
The story of the youths here is heart wrenching. Many of them took to crime just to get over the poverty but remain stuck to it forever.
“There are times when we can’t sleep in peace. You never know when will police gatecrash into our houses and pick up whoever they feel suspicious. Once they are arrested, we have to run to lawyers to get their bail,” Jannat Bi, an elderly lady said. Bi’s own 20-year-old son was picked up by Old Goa police twice.
Chimbel is caught, in the proverbial middle path between the devil and the deep sea. Their poverty makes them turn to crime and crime makes them vulnerable to the police. Politicians naturally take advantage.
