MAPUSA
While Calangute came alive on New Year’s Eve with desi tourists making a beeline to the famous Tito’s lane, mobile thieves had a field day with several tourists complaining of loss of cell phones.
Calangute Police swung into action and detained 16 people under suspicion and recovered 65 cell phones on Saturday.
Several tourists from different parts of the country converged at the Calangute Police Station on Saturday morning complaining of mobile thefts.
Police on duty had a tough time to register the complaints and also to identify the owners of the cell phones.
“We have recovered more than 60 cell phones and arrested one accused last night. Some more people have been rounded up on suspicion,” said Laxi Amonkar, Calangute PI.
Meanwhile, the Tito’s lane at Baga was packed with revelers on the night of Dec 31, paralyzing the traffic in and around Baga.
The Covid norms were blown with the wind as most of the revelers were without masks.
Social media was flooded with videos showing a sea of humanity along the Tito’s lane in Baga. The entire area was flooded with revelers who were rubbing shoulders with one another to make way and move forward.
The tourists also flooded the beaches of Calangute and Baga, most of them spending the entire night on the beach boozing and dancing their way into the New Year.
The thrash and broken bottles in the sea and on the beach bore testimony of the madness that the desi tourists indulge in.
Several locals criticised the authorities for failing to control the crowds and to instill a sense of discipline among the tourists. “Same story every year, no sanity amongst the visiting tourists. When we Indians visit the other countries, do we behave in the same manner? The show goes on as it does in the same fashion, every year. No planning, no infra,” said Agnelo Fernandes.
“Those educated throw garbage all over and the uneducated collect and dispose it off. Wonder what is the point of being educated,” said Peter Fernandes.
“It’s all about management system which is not functioning in our Calangute constituency. A leadership failure,” said Jack Fernandes.
