Editor, Goemkarponn
AERIAL VIEW
Interestingly, the last few days have been very tough for Goa Police. Simply because initially, without any investigations, they termed Sonali Phogat’s death due to a heart attack and registered a case of murder only after Phogat’s brother sought CBI inquiry and media pressure.
To add insult to injury, Haryana Chief Minister spoke to his counterpart in Goa and asked the case to be handed over to CBI. Maybe, he, too, knew about Goa Police’s reputation.
This was a major setback as it indirectly questioned the capabilities of Goa Police and their level of investigation.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
The Goa Police has remained in the eye of the storm for the last month or so, which has seen three murders, and as if that was not enough, the Hyderabad police have accused it of deliberately shielding the drug dealers.
It all started with the Bollywood actress and TikTok star Sonali Phogat’s murder case, who was reportedly murdered with drugs overdose.
Followed by this one murder, which is still grabbing headlines nationally and internationally, there were two other murders in the last week. A sand mining labourer was killed in Curchorem, and a youth was brutally killed in Vasco yesterday afternoon.
While there have been arrests in all murder cases, one fails to understand the lawlessness that prevails in Goa currently. There is no fear of police anymore; innocent people are just being killed at will.
Seriously, Goa seems to have become a safe haven for anti-social elements.
It is pertinent to note that in most cases, the accused are non-Goans, and the percentage of Goans involved in crimes is very low.
Interestingly, the last few days have been very tough for Goa Police. Simply because initially, without any investigations, they termed Sonali Phogat’s death due to a heart attack and registered a case of murder only after Phogat’s brother sought CBI inquiry and media pressure.
To add insult to injury, Haryana Chief Minister spoke to his counterpart in Goa and asked the case to be handed over to CBI. Maybe, he, too, knew about Goa Police’s reputation.
This was a major setback as it indirectly questioned the capabilities of Goa Police and their level of investigation.
Days after this development, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner also slammed Goa Police for not supporting drug investigations.
Hyderabad City Commissioner C V Anand’s alleged that Goa Police did not cooperate with them in its ongoing probe that saw the arrest of Anjuna local Preetesh Borkar on August 16.
“Whenever we communicate with them (Goa Police), negative results come. If we try to nab someone (accused persons from Goa), we don’t get them. There is nothing to hide, I am telling openly that Goa Police are not cooperating,” Hyderabad Police said.
He also claimed that Sonali Phogat was killed by people involved in the drug trade.
This was an insult to injury for Goa Police, which boasts a cent per cent detection rate in murder cases.
However, the Goa Police swiftly clarified that no request was received for any assistance in arresting any of the accused persons from its Hyderabad counterpart.
After this accusation and a meeting by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, the Goa Police started a clampdown on the drug dens in Goa, arresting several people.
But this leaves us with a question why did we have to wait for Sonali Phogat’s murder to crack down on the safe heavens for narcotics? Who is protecting the drug business in Goa? Why is the police not taking suo-moto action?
Another question that arises is why are cases related to drugs not handed over to CBI for the independent probe. Who are we trying to shield?
Mr CM, it is not the question of just your image as chief minister but also Goa Police and Goa’s image as a whole is at stake due to the ignore-drugs attitude of the police.
