MARGAO
Post-Swapnil Walke murder, an understaffed Margao police grapples to tone up security and intensify patrolling in the city to keep criminals and burglars at bay.
With the police station having its jurisdiction right from Margao city to Navelim and Dramapur-Sirlim and Rawanfond, the men-in-uniform says its time the Goa police beef up manpower to meet the growing requirements, including effective day and night patrolling.
Sources say the Margao police station lacks both officers as well as the constabulary, a factor that has hit its functioning badly.
Otherwise, consider this. The Margao police station is headed by a police inspector and three police sub-inspectors. Sources say the number of PSIs manning the Margao police station has come down from nine to three today.
That’s not all. The police station has no lady police sub-inspector. The post has been lying vacant since the time the incumbent lady PSI was transferred. The absence of a lady PSI is felt when issues concerning women crop up.
After the Swapnil Walke murder case that rocked the commercial capital around 20 days ago, Director General of Police, Mukesh Kumar Meena, had announced measures in the commercial capital by deputing more personnel.
Against the backdrop of the DGP’s visit, the Margao police have created around four to six points in the city -- the market area, near Kohinoor, between Bank of India and old railway station and from Khareband bridge to the MCC grounds.
“New security points mean the deployment of additional manpower and working in shifts. This brings to the fore the manpower constraints,” an officer said.
Take note, the Margao police have received additional manpower with the department placing at the disposal of the police station IRB personnel. Sources, however, said that though on paper the Margao police station has adequate constabulary, around 30-odd personnel are deployed for non-sanctioned duties, including posting in the courts and other assignments,” the officer added.
The police have further called for the revival of the defunct CCTV surveillance cameras for effective policing. “After the Walke murder case, the Margao police requested 20 cameras in the city and other nine moving cameras at strategic locations. This will go a long way in toning up the security and surveillance system in the city,” another officer added.
