MARGAO: The police authorities are now relying upon externment of criminals to keep South Goa district crime-free.
In the past six years, South Goa police stations recommended 73 names of persons having criminal background to South Goa district magistrate for initiating externment proceedings against them.
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According to the information available from year 2017 till September 2022, total number of 73 externment proceeding cases against persons having criminal background were sent to the South Goa district administration by the district police stations .
Amongst 72 cases, Margao police recommended maximum 10 externment proceedings, followed by nine each by Cuncolim and Fatorda police, eight by Verna, seven from Maina Curtorim, six each by Colva and Curchorem police, five by vasco police three by Canacona and two each by Quepem, Sanguem, Mormugao, Ponda and Collem police.
Maximum number of 28 externment proceedings were recommended by South Goa police stations in the year 2018 when there was little rise in criminal activities, followed by 17 cases in 2020, 11 in the year 2021, 8 in the year 2019 and 8 during the year 2022 till September 21, 2022 . The lowest was only one, in 2017.
However, it is pertinent to note that out of these 73 recommended externment proceedings, 32 were dropped, 32 were bound down, five cases pending before South Goa district magistrate and four criminals have been externed.
One senior police officer said that till November 11, 2018 South Goa police had recommended South Goa District Magistrate names of 23 persons having criminal background for initiating externment proceedings and four under National Security Act (NSA).
South Goa police then had sent a report against criminals under Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988 asking for removal of hard core criminals from the jurisdiction of South Goa district and prevent them from entering South Goa for at least two years.
Police said that among some preventive policing steps initiated by them, externment is proving to be a handy tool in curbing the activities of criminals.
A senior police officer said that a person having criminal background is externmed by District Magistrate under Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988.
He said that externment proceedings are initiated against criminals as preventive action or on persons who have disturbed public order in the past one year, whose movements are considered dangerous and whose presence is a threat to others.
The accused is, however, given an opportunity to give his reply in defence. City advocate Amarnath Desai said that the externment can be up to a period of two years.
“While most criminals simply stay away during the period, few of those externed, violate the order and return.”
However, if these persons are noticed, they are immediately arrested and then a report is sent against them to the District Magistrate.
