VASCO: In a major security breach that has triggered alarm among security agencies, an estimated 1,200 port entry passes have been reported missing from the Harbour Entry Permit Section near HRD Centre of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
The MPT traffic manager filed a complaint on Saturday stating that 17 entry pass books had been missing, which accounted for around 1,200 passes.
Sources at MPT informed The Goan that the missing passes came to light on January 25, but the traffic department filed the complaint only on Saturday.
“On January 25, some unknown person had tried to break open the lock of the office at the HRD centre, from where the passes are issued, but it is not clear as to how and when these passes went missing. Even when the entry passes were subsequently stolen, MPT officials had failed to file a complaint in this matter at that time,” the source said.
“Recently, the security at Berth 11 had apprehended a labourer who was found asleep in the wagon used to transport coal from the port,” the source said.
Efforts to contact MPT Chairman J Jayakumar for comments in the matter proved futile, as his mobile phone was out of coverage area. However, sources at MPT later informed that Jayakumar is out of station.
Mormugao Police Inspector Kapil Nayak confirmed that the Mormugao police had received the complaint about the missing entry passes.
“We will first investigate the matter and accordingly, register the complaint, as the complainant has failed to mention the names of the dealing hand at the entry pass issuing section,” said PI Nayak.
Raising serious concern over the estimated 1200 missing port entry passes, PI Nayak said: “If the passes fall in the wrong hands, there could be serious consequences.”
“MPT officials alerted the CISF agency about the missing passes and managed to recover around 30 passes from the labourers, who had used them to enter the port. Some of the passes are issued for a one-year period, while others are issued for a day-long entry,” siad PI Nayak.
