CANACONA
Canacona police has beefed up surveillance at South Goa’s lone Chabad House in Palolem, amid inputs from Central Intelligence agencies of a possible terror strike on Israeli tourists in the State.
The Chabad House, a prayer house for the Jews in South Goa, was put on enhanced police surveillance, following threats of terror attacks as a possible revenge to the attack on a mosque in New Zealand.
Many Jews holidaying in Goa assemble at the Chabad house for prayers every Friday, while the place also has a restaurant, which mostly attracts Jewish customers on throughout the week.
According to reports, intelligence agencies had alerted the police in Goa, Mumbai and Delhi about possible threats from IS and Al-Quida at Israeli places of worship and places where Israeli national meet in large numbers, as retaliation to the New Zealand Mosque attack,
Incidentally, Palolem’s Chabad House is operated round the year by Israeli nationals and is also home to many Israelis visitors.
“The Chabad House is already provided with police security 24x7,” informed a police source at the Canacona police station.
“In fact, police security was already being provided to the Jewish Prayer House at Palolem as per an understanding between the Israeli government and Indian authorities.”
“However, police surveillance has been enhanced now following the reported IS and Al-Qaida threats to Israeli nationals not only at the Chabad House but everywhere along the coast, particularly where Israelis are known to gather in large numbers,” added the police source.
According to local sources, the Chabad House at Palolem is also known to operate dining and drinking facilities, making the place also a popular restaurant for different visitors with Israeli dishes and delicacies.
Efforts to contact the Rabbi of the Chabad House at Palolem failed as the contact numbers to the Chabad House at Palolem, made available on the internet, were inaccurate.
According to a report in The Hindu, Goa’s Inspector General of Police Jaspal Singh confirmed on March 25 about the security alert and said people visit the Canacona Chabad House on Saturday and Sunday for prayers.
“On Sunday, there were around 12 visitors for prayer. Our guards are deployed and also it is under our constant vigil. All our Superintendents of Police have been briefed and alerted, Anti-Terror Squad has been put on alert and we have been constantly sharing inputs with various agencies as well as have alerted our intelligence networks,” IGP Singh was quoted in the report.
The Hindu report added that several Israelis on a long duration visa reside in Goa and often meet to pray at Chabad houses in South Goa.
