ANIL KUMAR MISHRA
The audacious burglary at a gated residen tial complex in Porvorim in the early hours of Satur day has once again thrown Goa’s worsening law and order situation into sharp focus, with residents and civil society questioning whether reven guarded housing societies can still be considered safe. Unidentified burglars al legedly targeted seven villas at Highland Villas in Por vorim despite the premises being protected by private security personnel, adding to a growing series of resi dential break-ins across Goa that have left citizens in creasingly anxious over the State’s ability to curb organ ised crime.
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The Porvorim Police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons fol lowing a complaint by Sunil Tandon, Chairperson of Highland Villas Co-opera tive Housing Maintenance Society Ltd. Residents said the burglary spree came to an end only after an occupant of the last villa confronted the intruders, forcing them to flee. They pointed out that this was the fourth such incident reported in the society over the past year. “Most of the residents here are senior citizens. Despite having private security, repeated attempts like these have left everyone worried,” a resident said. The latest incident has reinforced concerns that resi dential burglaries are no longer isolated crimes but part of a disturbing trend stretching across several parts of Goa. Barely days earlier, residents of Curchorem reported at tempted burglaries at three to four locations between 3 am and 5 am on July 3.
CCTV footage reportedly captured the suspects moving through the locality, with residents alleging inadequate night patrolling despite the area being just minutes from the police station. On June 2, alert occupants foiled another attempted burglary at the Desai Nagar residence of a Bicholim police constable in Sanquelim after masked suspects allegedly forced open the main door around 2.15 am. The intruders fled after the family woke up. CCTV cameras reportedly captured the incident, which occurred barely two kilo metres from the Chief Minister’s official residence. In April, burglars allegedly ransacked a house near the Sanquelim market and escaped with around Rs 1 lakh in cash. The following month, Bicholim Police detained two persons for allegedly breaking into the BJP office in San quelim and stealing two mobile phones. Police have also investigated a series of residential bur glaries in Porvorim, Alto Porvorim, Socorro, Mapusa and Sanquelim over the past several months. While suspects have been arrested in some cases and investigators are probing possible links to organised burglary networks, the recurring break-ins — including incidents in which CCTV recording equipment was allegedly removed — have done little to reassure residents.
The continuing spate of burglaries has triggered sharp criticism from residents and political leaders, who say the State’s law and order machinery has failed to keep pace with increasingly organised criminal activity. Reacting to Saturday’s incident, AITC National Spokes person Trajano D’Mello said, “The recent daring burgla ry in the wee hours at Highland Villas, a gated residential complex in Porvorim, where seven villas were burgled in one stroke despite the complex being guarded by private security, is just a reflection of the fearlessness of criminals. Under this government, from being strangers in our own land, we have now reached a point where we have no se curity even in our own homes. We keep shouting from the rooftops that law and order is in shambles, but the gov ernment continues to remain in denial. Goans have now turned to faith, believing that only God will protect us.” Santa Cruz Congress Block President John Nazareth said, “People have been taken for granted by the government. The government has lost the people’s faith in every aspect, whether it is land conversion or governance. It is busy giv ing false assurances like the Mhaje Ghar and Mhaje Flat schemes.
The government has failed miserably. There is an influx of migrants, unemployment and the growing issue of drugs. We do not know who the culprits are unless they are caught and identified. Goa is becoming a lawless State. I think a strong hand is required to deal with this situation.” Echoing the growing public frustration, a Porvorim res ident, requesting anonymity, said, “The police come with dogs, conduct a panchanama, prepare a report and that is the end of the story. If there is pressure on them, three scapegoats are made to stand with black cloth covering their faces. The Chief Minister says the investigation is in progress and the police are on the job, while the culprits continue to roam freely.” Aam Aadmi Party Goa president Valmiki Naik alleged that organised criminal gangs were operating with in creasing confidence in the State. “It appears that Goa has become a popular destination for organised gangs of burglars and dacoits. Home Minis ter Dr Pramod Sawant and the BJP government are simply not able to handle law and order.
That is why we are see ing national and international gangs come into Goa, take whatever they want and leave without a worry.” “AAP met the Governor a few months ago on this issue and demanded that the State have a full-time Home Min ister. A detailed list of serious crimes was submitted to the Governor. Since then, however, the list has only grown longer, as the Chief Minister appears to have no time for his Home portfolio,” he added. Police officials, however, maintained that individual incidents should not be viewed in isolation as indicators of the State’s overall crime situation, saying crime trends are assessed through official statistics and ongoing inves tigations. They said action was being taken wherever evi dence was available and arrests had been made in several burglary cases. Officials further said night patrolling has been intensi fied across Goa in view of the recent incidents, while se curity guards deployed at gated communities and private bungalows are being regularly briefed and sensitized.
