Pratik Parab
pratik@herald-goa.com
Panjim: The year that was has set some serious crime records in Goa and if the sobering trends are anything to go by, police will have their task cut out in 2025.
According to data, cases of heinous crimes have steadily been rising, with 106 rapes and 29 murder cases being reported to the police in 2024. White-collar crimes have also risen exponentially, with the cash-for-jobs scam that broke in October 2024 ratcheting up figures of many crores that have been siphoned off.
The Anti-Narcotics Cell of Goa Police has also recorded the highest seizure of drugs in a calendar year in 2024, with 85 kg of narcotics worth Rs 6.75 crore being recovered. This included Rs 12 lakh worth of GHB (Gamma-hydroxybutyrate) a date rape drug, marking the first such seizure in Goa.
While the rise in crimes is a chilling reality for all Goans, one positive aspect on the policing front is that there is a 96.67% detection rate of heinous crimes.
Criticising the government, activist Roshan Luke Mathias said, “The political system is such that there is official patronage for illegal activities. The Government interferes in everything. We are lay people and even we know how many people are doing drugs in Goa. How will crimes come down?
Speaking about the rise in rape cases, Auda Viegas, the convenor of Bailancho Ekvott, said, “It has been seen that the grooming of victims happens online, minors fall prey and elope with the accused person. We have to think over whether kids are being made aware of such risks by their guardians at home or in school. Laws can’t get stronger, but is there thorough investigation, conviction and punishment – all of which act as deterrents?”
According to retired police officer Mahesh Gaonkar, one of the reasons for the rise in crimes in Goa is the fact that it is a State that draws a lot of tourists and outsiders. “This leads to the involvement of outsiders in crimes registered in Goa. However, the police too have done a good job by detecting almost all the cases of heinous crimes,” he said.