The Goa Police has emphasised the need for inter-state coordination meetings to address challenges posed by the influx of tourists and criminals in the "iconic tourist destination".
At a virtual Western Regional Police Coordination meeting on Monday, DGP Jaspal Singh insisted that effective inter-state coordination is crucial for the Goa Police owing to Goa's status as a prominent tourist destination that draws both visitors and criminals who indulge in mobile thefts, burglary, ATM frauds, and snatching.
"Interstate coordination is of utmost importance, particularly for Goa Police, because Goa being an iconic tourist destination not only attracts tourists but criminals as well, particularly mobile thieves, burglars, ATM fraudsters, and snatchers. The local police of interstate border districts should also meet quite often and deploy joint nakabandi," he suggested in the meeting also attended by the DGPs of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Daman.
Singh further stated that since certain law and order situations have an interstate dimension, timely sharing of relevant inputs can help tackle and diffuse the situation quickly.
The DGP also said that in the digital and social media age, events and incidents happening in a particular state trigger resonance all over the country. Therefore, it is through regional coordination that the police counterparts can enhance factual understanding of the issues at stake and jointly diffuse the situation by sharing timely inputs.
"More particularly, Cyber Crime is a borderless crime and requires prompt assistance from the police force of other states...The improved mobility has facilitated interstate gangs to commit crimes in one state and quickly cross over into the other state. Therefore, interstate cooperation in neutralizing interstate gangs is of utmost importance to also conduct cross border raids effecting arrests and recovery of evidence," he added.
The DGP expressed optimism that the elaborate deliberations and presentations by attending officers will enhance their understanding of inter-state crime as well as promote coordination and cooperation.
This was the second meeting held by Goa Police with the earlier one held in 2018. Singh maintained that while the meeting is usually held in physical format, the extremely occupied schedule of Goa Police owing to the G-20 meeting spread over a period of five months, SCO Ministerial meeting, maiden visit of President Droupadi Murmu and a three-week-long monsoon session of Legislative Assembly constrained the department to hold it in online mode.
