PANAJI
Nearly six months after the government carried out one of the largest promotion exercises in the history of the State police force, elevating 19 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs) to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP), the move exposed an alarming collapse in the middle-rung leadership of the force.
Moreover, the irony is striking as several officers elevated to SP rank continue to plug the very DySP vacancies created by their own promotions.
The promotions, coupled with alleged failure to fill the resulting vacancies, have left the Goa police with just 11 serving DySPs against a sanctioned strength of 47. The shortfall of 36 officers has forced a small pool of officers to shoulder two, three and, in some cases, four or more assignments simultaneously.
Among the promotees, Shaikh Salim is posted as SDPO Pernem, and also handling SDPO Mapusa. Francisco Corte, currently DySP EOC, continues to oversee SCRB, JSOCD and DCHC, in addition to holding charge of DySP Welfare.
Roy Pereira, posted as DySP Coastal Security, is simultaneously handling the Election Cell, SPCR Panaji and Pink Force Panaji. Nolasco Raposo, serving as Vice Principal of PTS Valpoi, is among the few officers without any recorded additional responsibilities.
Braz De Menezes continues as DySP FRRO, while Nutan Verenker, currently SP (AHTU), also holds additional charge of SP Pink Force and DySP AHTU.
In South Goa, Gurudas Kadam remains SDPO Vasco, while Sidhant Shirodkar, posted as SDPO Margao, has also been entrusted with SDPO Kushavati and DySP (HQ) South.
The trend extends across specialised branches. Jivba Dalvi, posted as SP (MT), continues to hold charge of DySP Crime-I, while Rajan Nigale, serving as SP (ACB), is simultaneously handling DySP ACB.
Rajendra Prabhudesai remains DySP Traffic South, while Nerlon Albuquerque continues as DySP ANC. Ashish Shirodkar is posted as SDPO Quepem.
Pravinkumar Vast, now SP (Tourist Police Unit), continues to oversee DySP (HQ) and the Liaisoning and Procurement Cell. Sagar Ekoskar remains DySP Security, while Rajesh Kumar serves as SP (Coastal Security).
Tushar Vernekar, posted as SP (HQ), continues to hold charge of DySP CM Security, while Vishwesh Karpe remains SDPO Porvorim.
The strain is even more evident among the remaining DySP cadre.
Hiru Kavlekar, posted as DySP Railways, and Sudesh Velip, posted as DySP (HQ/North), are among the few officers not carrying additional responsibilities.
Brutano Paxito, serving as DySP ATS, is also handling Wireless and Communication, while Sudesh Narvekar, posted as DySP Traffic North, continues to hold charge of DySP Traffic/HQ.
Suraj Halankar remains DySP Crime-II, while Sudesh Naik continues as SDPO Panaji. Rupendra Shetgaonkar, posted as DySP SB North, is additionally handling DySP SB South.
Nilesh Rane remains SDPO Canacona, while Shivram Vaingankar, posted as SDPO Ponda, also holds charge of DySP Land Grab.
Perhaps the starkest example is Amit Borkar, currently posted as GRP-II. In addition to his primary assignment, he is overseeing DySP GRP A, B, C, D and E, DySP Escort Cell, DySP Armoury, DySP Sports and DySP Library, Panaji.
Naresh Mangadkar, posted as DySP (3rd IRBn), rounds off the shrinking list of officers available at the rank.
While the long-pending promotions were welcomed within the force, they also hollowed out a supervisory layer widely regarded as the backbone of district policing.
The government has since attempted to address the crisis through direct recruitment. In October 2025, it amended the Goa Police Service Rules, increasing the upper age limit for direct recruitment of DySPs from 30 to 40 years, with relaxations up to 45 years for certain categories.
The revised rules earmarked 60 percent of DySP vacancies for promotion from eligible Police Inspectors and sought to streamline recruitment, promotion and training procedures. The changes were a bid to revive the recruitment process that has remained stalled for years amid controversy.
In February 2024, the Goa Public Service Commission abruptly cancelled a recruitment drive for 28 DySP posts after the State informed it that the recruitment rules were being revised. The process had attracted nearly 2,500 applicants, and 62 candidates had already reached the final stage after clearing two rounds of examinations.
