MARGAO
The Swapnil Walke murder case has brought to the fore the inordinate delay by the Goa police to fill the vacant post of Margao Sub-divisional Police Officer.
It’s now a little over two months since the post has been lying vacant after then Margao SDPO, DySP Serafino Dias, was after his promotion as the Superintendent of Police.
Serafino has taken up his new posting, but the crucial post of Margao SDPO has been lying vacant since then, with Quepem Sub-divisional Police Officer, DySP Kiran Podwal, holding additional charge.
The Margao police sub-division has around five police stations, including Margao and Fatorda, Maina-Curtorim and Colva, besides Cuncolim and not to mention the Women’s Police Station, which are supervised by the SDPO of the rank of DySP.
Similarly, the Quepem sub-division area covers the police stations of Canacona, Quepem, Curchorem and Sanguem, with police sources in the know saying that it is not possible for a DySP to do justice to both the sub-divisions at one time.
Sources in the know said that the Quepem SDPO, who was leading the search operations in Gudi-Paroda area after a man had reportedly gone missing, had to just leave the sub-division work to coordinate the Swapnil Walke murder case by involving police stations from entire South Goa.
What’s interesting to know is the delay by the government to either send a full-fledged DySP to head the Margao SDPO or promote the police inspectors, who are due for promotion to the rank of DySP for a long time.
Though officials say the government had set in motion the process to promote a couple of senior PIs, the process has still not been taken to the logical conclusion as a result of which the Margao SDPO post is still lying vacant.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has said the police department needs to be strengthened by filling all vacant posts.
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