PANJIM: A police outpost in Panjim’s outskirt – St Cruz will put an end to a long wait for strict vigilance in the village infamous for gang wars.
The outpost, scheduled for inauguration this afternoon, has become a reality nearly three decades after then St Cruz MLA Victor Gonsalves submitted a proposal to the then Congress government for setting up a police station to crackdown on increasing criminal activities.
Sources told Herald that the outpost spread across 743 sq mtrs will also house a barrack for the personnel. The building is built by the Public Works Department at an estimated cost of Rs 1.56 crore.
Herald has learnt that Gonsalves, who served as St Cruz MLA from 1989-1994 had proposed to set up a police station to curb crimes mushrooming in the village. “A proposal was submitted somewhere in the year 1991. The then government had approved the proposal and demarcated the area for an outpost. However, subsequent governments failed to follow it up until recently,” said an official.
Gonsalves would often raise the matter in the Goa Legislative Assembly in the wake of rising crimes.
St Cruz has a history of gang war. In the 1980s and early 1990s rival gangs held sway over the village. The village has witnessed gang wars, notorious attacks and assaults, extortion, threats, etc. After Herald had reported decades ago, a rival gang member killed in the middle of the road then chief minister, Ravi Naik, acted on the lawlessness that the gangs were broken up.
