PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who holds the Home portfolio was all praise for the Goa police. He gave away cash rewards and appreciation letters to each member of the special investigation team for detecting the Vasco double murder in a record time.
Ironically the CM’s praise for the men in khaki comes days after he had slammed the department for its lethargy to respond when the incident occurred.
In a flip flop, he went on to blame the media for selectively reporting his remarks, which he had spoken to a section of newspersons during his visit at the crime spot last weekend.
“I had spoken in a different angle and some media linked it to the Vasco murder. I had said that on certain occasions there could be lethargy on the part of the police,” the chief minister said refusing to withdraw or rectify his earlier remark.
Meanwhile, after felicitating the officials right from the rank of constable to lone Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg for successfully cracking the case, Parsekar conceded he was enraged over the incident after criticism emerged questioning law and order situation in the State.
“An awful picture was portrayed… There were allegations that law and order has slipped out of our hands and migrants were suspected (to be involved) owing to a series of thefts taking place,” Parsekar said while indirectly pointing at the Opposition who questioned government’s ability to maintain peace and order in the State.
“I paid a surprise visit to the crime scene, filled with anger…But then I realized that police investigation was moving in the right direction and I expected them to crack the case soon,” he added while urging police to maintain friendly rapport with the general public so people have faith in them.
IGP Garg, DIG V Renganathan, Crime Branch SP Karthik Kashyap, South SP Shekhar Prabhudesai, PIs Vishwesh Karpe, Sagar Ekoskar, Siddhant Shirodkar, PSIs, head constables and lady constables were among a large team felicitated at a formal function held at the Police Headquarters, on Saturday.
