The cold-blooded daylight murder of a 33-year-old man near the Baina beach at Kate Baina has left the State stunned and shaken. Four persons attacked one Umesh Harijan, a bar owner in the area, with koitas and sharp weapons while returning after having lunch at Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Pandal at Baina. The victim bled to death after suffering several cut injuries inflicted on him by the four accused.
Last week a labourer was shot dead and another critically injured while they were illegally extracting sand at Maad-Bansai in Curchorem. The incident left the police clueless but believed the involvement of rival gangs in sand mining.
Two ghastly murders within a short span speak volumes of how casually goons and anti-social elements have taken policing. Instead, let's put this straight. Policing has failed to be a deterrent to criminals who either shoot to kill or find no risk in undertaking a brutal daylight attack to slay a person in open view. If we recall, earlier in June, a fitness trainer was arrested for allegedly killing a lecturer inside a vehicle and dumping her body in the jungle. In July, a birthday celebration of a 22-year-old boy ended in his murder after a midnight brawl between two groups.
Goa has witnessed several violent killings of late, and behind every murder, there has been a story. However, behind every murder, there's also a scary story of the increasing lawlessness that picking up a gun and shooting to kill or murder someone is steadily becoming a part of Goa's dark reality. That is disturbing because the tiny State, which is increasingly gaining notoriety as a drug hub, is now slowly losing its peace.
Crimes happen across the world, but that doesn't stop a system from dealing with them. If life becomes so insecure and criminals are allowed to run riot at their own will and terms, then there is something seriously wrong with our policing.
Planned murders are on the rise in the State. We cannot merely sit on the argument that migrants are responsible for 90 per cent of the murders in the State. What is more severe and needs attention is that we need better policing, tighter systems in place and getting more organised with migrants. We can't expect mere lunkhead patrol men in khaki to do the job of keeping away criminals.
Gang rivalries have made their presence felt in Goa, and both the Baina killing and the Bansai shooting are believed to have a common thread of differences between groups escalating into murder. It's time Goa police crack down on all anti-social and criminal elements with an iron hand, overlooking the connected political affiliations and influences. Perhaps the most significant negative in tackling gangs in Goa is the political clout that criminals flex. As long as the Goa police don't show spine in standing up against such elements, the State will continue to live in a state of fear and insecurity.
