Team Herald
PANJIM: Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar on Monday said that nearly 1,500 police personnel will be deployed during the decennial Exposition of relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa beginning from November 21.
Speaking to reporters after holding a review meeting with the officials and the exposition secretariat at Old Goa, he said Goa police strength is adequate and no additional central police force will be sought to maintain law and order.
“Around 1500 people from all wings of the police force will be deployed for the security purpose. No central force is required. We will be able to manage from internal sources,” he said.
The top police official also assured that personnel at check posts will be intimated to ensure that devotees especially those on walking pilgrimage are not inconvenienced in any manner.
“Such thing should not happen at all. Necessary instruction will be issued stating that people coming as pilgrims should not be inconvenienced in any manner,” he said.
He also said that measures will be put in place to ensure that there is no disturbance to the exposition.
“The objective is to ensure that there should be no disturbance to the exposition. Whenever there is a large gathering of people, petty criminals from the state as well as neighbouring states come,” he said.
Convenor of the Exposition Committee Fr Henry Falcao said, “Today's meeting was to finalise certain things which we have asked and most of the things have been taken care of by the police and we are happy for that. We have asked for security inside the Cathedral and for the procession on the opening and closing day of the exposition.”
He said stalls are responsibility of the panchayat and the church does not get involved in it but police, fire brigade and traffic police have instructed the panchayat to follow certain security norms while allotting stalls, he said. The exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier will commence on November 21 and will go on till January 5, 2025.