Lobo slams Calangute police as most corrupt

TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: In a stinging attack, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has described Calangute Police Station as one of the most corrupt police stations in the State and has gone to the extent of alleging that the police are involved in many crimes along the Calangute coast.
Lobo has even threatened to go on a hunger strike along with BJP leaders and workers of Calangute constituency to insist on swift measures to restore the faith of the public in the enforcement agency.
Addressing media persons at his residence at Parra on Thursday, Lobo said: “The people of Calangute are losing faith in the police personnel attached to the Calangute Police station, due to rise in crimes and corrupt practices at the police station.”
“The people and tourists visiting beaches of Calangute, Candolim and Baga are being robbed and burgled, while the police have expressed their inability to detect crimes time and again,” said Lobo.
“Tourists are also being robbed and looted at knife point. Prostitution and sale of drugs is rampant in the coastal belt of Calangute, but the Calangute Police has failed to detect any except for arresting a person with meagre quantity drugs at a music festival in Candolim,” said the MLA.
“Crimes in the coastal belt of Calangute are taking place with the involvement of the police officers and staff and I can surely that Calangute Police station is one of the most corrupt police stations in the State,” alleged Lobo, while demanding the transfer of at least 80% of the staff posted there.
“The arrest of PSI Sushant Gawas and the suspension of LPSI Devyani Naik in connection with corrupt practices is proof of the malpractices at the Calangute Police station. It’s high time that officers and staff attached to Calangute Police station are re-shuffled immediately for people to have faith in police,” demanded Lobo.
“The police officers and staff have accumulated wealth disproportionate to their income which needs a thorough investigation and I will demand an investigation by a retired IPS officer to get to the root cause of evil,” added Lobo.
“I am meeting the chief minister, the home minister, for a thorough investigation and to demand a re-shuffle of personnel, including officers, at the Calangute Police Station. If the demand for re-shuffle is not met, then we the Calangute BJP members and party workers will go on a hunger strike,” warned Lobo.
Asked if the home department is responsible for the present state of affairs at the Calangute Police station, Lobo replied: “The chief minister has given a free hand to the police and the higher-ups to tackle law and order.”
“Few senior police officials like North Goa SP Priyanka Kashyap are doing a splendid job, but many officers down the line have failed to shoulder the responsibilities. Corruption is rampant at Calangute Police station, with officers and staff going hand in hand in organizsed crimes,” he said.