PONDA: Amid the increasing number of thefts, residents of Ponda met with police officials on Friday to express their worries and demand heightened security measures, particularly ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Festival. The residents submitted a memorandum to PI Tushar Lotlikar, urging the police to ensure strict patrolling and implement a CCTV system across the town to prevent further burglaries.
In the memorandum, the residents highlighted that numerous brazen robberies and break-ins have occurred in Ponda and its surrounding areas in recent months. They attributed the rise in such crimes to a lack of effective policing by the local police station. The memorandum emphasised that many temples and residential houses have been burgled, seemingly under the nose of the police, without sufficient action being taken to prevent these crimes.
The residents complained that the people of Ponda and the surrounding areas are living in a state of constant fear, worrying that their lives and properties may be targeted at any time, day or night. They particularly stressed the importance of ensuring security during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which is set to be celebrated on September 7. Many residents will be traveling to their native places or other locations to celebrate the festival, leaving their homes in Ponda vulnerable to burglaries.
To address these concerns, the residents requested the police to strengthen their patrolling efforts by deploying an adequate and competent police force, and restoring the community’s confidence in law enforcement. They also stressed the need for the installation of a comprehensive CCTV system in Ponda to enhance surveillance and deter criminal activities.
Goods train derails near Collem; train schedules disrupted
VASCO: A goods train comprising 17 loaded wagons derailed between Sonaulim and Dudhsagar stations in the Braganza Ghat section of the Hubballi division of South Western Railway (SWR) on Friday morning, causing significant disruptions in train services. In response to the derailment, accident relief trains from Vasco Da Gama and Hubballi, equipped with 140-ton cranes and other necessary materials, have been dispatched to the site along with a restoration team to begin the recovery efforts, as stated in a release from SWR.
