Team Herald
PANJIM:Do sincere, honest and committed officers have no place in the Goa Police force? Is doing their duty as per their mandate to maintain law and order and control crime, a crime? If not, why are honest officers being targeted by the higher echelons of the police and the government? These are the questions haunting the minds of Goans, who are firmly behind honest officers who perform their duties with sincerity and courage.
Two cases of honest police officers, of the rank of Police Inspectors, being made scapegoats, sully the image of higher echelons of police and government and cast a big shadow of doubt on the sincerity of the government in protecting the people and giving justice to locals.
The transfer of Calangute Police Inspector Paresh Naik to an ignominious posting to Goa Reserve Police within 24 hours of him sealing the nightclub ‘Down Town’ and arresting bouncers in Baga, Calangute has left everyone shocked.
Even Ruling Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said making the Police Inspector a scapegoat was absolutely wrong. Linking it to the Anjuna PI case where action was taken against the bouncers in the Assagao House demolition, when instructions were given by the DGP, this should not happen. Lobo said.
PolicePolice made scapegoat, while the big fish mock at law and order in Goa
“(In the Baga Club sealing case) The Police Inspector became the scapegoat. This should not happen. Four incidents took place and the PI was removed. All the good work he had done has gone in vain. This is similar to the Assagao house demolition case. A higher up (DGP) gave instructions not to act, but the PI (Prashal Desai) was suspended. This should not happen,” Lobo asserted.
Lobo added, “In fact the government should strengthen the hands of the police. Where these incidents have happened, the government should see what the police need to enforce law and order, to increase patrolling, to increase manpower and surveillance has to be increased.”
The same sentiments were echoed by residents of the coastal belt who want the police to act in cases that deserve justice, pertaining to crime, assault, sound pollution etc. They want the police to be given a free hand to act independently and protect the interests of the locals.
They expressed deep disappointment that honest officers were being targeted.
Jervis Moniz, a resident of Anjuna, who suffers from loud music from the surrounding night clubs where police do not act, said, “There was an incident in Assagao where a PI was suspended for inaction, when he was instructed not to act by the higher ups. Now when two local youth were beaten and Calangute PI sealed the club and arrested the bouncers, he was immediately transferred. In such circumstances police don’t act.”
“In the background loud music is being played by W Club, I complain, but no action is taken. It’s not only the police, but the pollution control board and the government who are compromised,” Moniz sighed.
Dr Inacio Fernandes, also a resident of Anjuna opined that the police had done a wonderful job of sealing the venue. Something we now know the police have the power to do.
“Although Police Inspector Paresh Naik took a very good decision (to seal the club and arrest the bouncers), the villagers were also happy the next day. People could be heard saying in the background of the viral video……this is the power of Goa, this is the people’s power. But what happened thereafter (PI Paresh’s transfer) was sad. Even MLA Michael Lobo said that PI Paresh was made a scapegoat.”
“This is a clear case of interference in policing and targeting sincere officers. Goa has become like Mirzapur and the home minister needs to be changed,” Adv Amit Palekar had said on Tuesday.
“(In the Baga Club sealing case) The Police Inspector became the scapegoat. This should not happen. Four incidents took place and the PI was removed. All the good work he had done has gone in vain. This is similar to the Assagao house demolition case. A higher up (DGP) gave instructions not to act, but the PI (Prashal Desai) was suspended. This should not happen,” Lobo asserted.
Lobo added, “In fact the government should strengthen the hands of the police. Where these incidents have happened, the government should see what the police need to enforce law and order, to increase patrolling, to increase manpower and surveillance has to be increased.”
The same sentiments were echoed by residents of the coastal belt who want the police to act in cases that deserve justice, pertaining to crime, assault, sound pollution etc. They want the police to be given a free hand to act independently and protect the interests of the locals.
They expressed deep disappointment that honest officers were being targeted.
Jervis Moniz, a resident of Anjuna, who suffers from loud music from the surrounding night clubs where police do not act, said, “There was an incident in Assagao where a PI was suspended for inaction, when he was instructed not to act by the higher ups. Now when two local youth were beaten and Calangute PI sealed the club and arrested the bouncers, he was immediately transferred. In such circumstances police don’t act.”
“In the background loud music is being played by W Club, I complain, but no action is taken. It’s not only the police, but the pollution control board and the government who are compromised,” Moniz sighed.
Dr Inacio Fernandes, also a resident of Anjuna opined that the police had done a wonderful job of sealing the venue. Something we now know the police have the power to do.
“Although Police Inspector Paresh Naik took a very good decision (to seal the club and arrest the bouncers), the villagers were also happy the next day. People could be heard saying in the background of the viral video……this is the power of Goa, this is the people’s power. But what happened thereafter (PI Paresh’s transfer) was sad. Even MLA Michael Lobo said that PI Paresh was made a scapegoat.”
“This is a clear case of interference in policing and targeting sincere officers. Goa has become like Mirzapur and the home minister needs to be changed,” Adv Amit Palekar had said on Tuesday.