Sawant says tighter checks on tenants essential
PANAJI
The murder of senior citizen Umakant Khote in Morjim over a land dispute has revived debate over the role of migrants in Goa’s crime graph, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reiterating that crimes are increasingly being committed by this section of non-Goans and stressing the need for strict tenant verification.
“Rise in crime happens mainly because of migrants. Police verification is essential to know a person’s background before renting, so potential troublemakers can be identified in advance,” Sawant said on Thursday. He was responding to media queries on the rise in crime, after flagging off six new fire tenders worth over Rs 6 crore at the Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services.
Khote was allegedly assaulted and killed on Wednesday afternoon, days after he objected to hill-cutting activities at a construction site near his house. Police arrested three non-Goan accused, while the main accused remains absconding.
According to Pernem Police, property owner Ashok Kumar Nedurumali allegedly conspired with three of his workers — Lokesh (supervisor) from Karnataka, JCB operator Rohit Kumar Prajapati from Jharkhand, and cook/gardener Viji Suppan from Tamil Nadu. The trio allegedly attacked Khote, who was a tenant on the property, resulting in his death.
Meanwhile, referring to recent criminal cases, Sawant said the government has invoked the National Security Act (NSA) statewide for three months to empower police to act decisively. An Advisory Board headed by a retired judge will review NSA-related orders recommended by district collectors.
On ongoing investigations, the CM said progress has been made in the Saligao double murder case. “People will soon know the exact reason behind the crime. In the Morjim case, the accused have been arrested and the owner will also be called for inquiry,” he said.
On Thursday, BJP Goa President Damu Naik defended the government’s handling of law and order and claimed Goa continues to maintain a high crime detection rate. He attributed the current crime environment to what he described as “seeds planted by Congress over the last six decades.”
