Colva PI transfer after gambling raid takes fresh twist with ‘10-day’ claim

MARGAO
Even as the sudden transfer of Colva Police Station in-charge PI Videsh Shirodkar following a raid on an online gambling operation in Colva remains shrouded in mystery, a reported claim by another police inspector that he would take charge of the station within 10 days has added a fresh twist to the episode.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas has demanded the termination of the police inspector who allegedly made the claim. Viegas has also alleged that the officer is directly linked to the online gambling racket raided by the Colva police team led by PI Shirodkar.
The MLA has given the Director General of Police, South Goa SP Tikam Singh and Margao SDPO Sidhant Shirodkar time to investigate the matter and identify the inspector whose alleged claim was carried by a news channel. Failing this, Viegas has threatened to approach the Vigilance Department and raise the issue during the upcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, beginning Monday.
Viegas said he was opposed to any form of prostitution, drugs or gambling in the jurisdiction of the Colva police station.
Commenting on the transfer of PI Videsh Shirodkar following the gambling raid, Viegas said he had no clarity on whether the transfer was a direct consequence of the raid or whether other issues had prompted the department to act.
However, he said the reported statement by a police inspector that he would return to head the Colva police station within 10 days was a matter of serious concern.
“A news channel has quoted the PI as saying that he will come back to head the Colva police station within 10 days. The police top brass should find out from the news channel the name of the PI and terminate his services. I have information that the PI in question is responsible for the gambling that was raided by the Colva police team led by PI Videsh Shirodkar,” Viegas alleged.
He further demanded that the police department identify the officer who allegedly made the statement.
Viegas said officers allegedly intent on making money through gambling and extortion had no place at the Colva police station. “We will welcome any police officer deputed by the department at Colva, but officers who are hell-bent on coming to Colva are not welcome,” he said.
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Frequent PI transfers causing public inconvenience: Vaz
MARGAO: Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz has said the recent frequent transfers of police inspectors at Colva police station have caused serious inconvenience to the public and denied them justice on time.
What came as a surprise, he said, was that even now politicians use their power to jeopardise the operation. “This is a very serious issue and this has brought a bad name to the Colva police station. We are facing an increasing number of drug and narcotic cases as well as illegal betting. Prostitution is rising at the moment. Our local MLA should take up this matter seriously,” Vaz said.
The Cavelossim Sarpanch wondered how one can expect justice when the Colva police station is facing a manpower shortage despite the police station having jurisdiction over the entire coastal tourist belt.