PANAJI
Under fire following the Sonali Phogat murder case and Thursday's gun-fire incident which killed one and injured another sand mining worker in Curchorem, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant convened a high-level meeting of top bureaucrats and police brass where instructions were issued to crack the whip against drugs, crime and sand mining trade.
At the nearly two-hour meeting held at his official Altinho bungalow, Sawant issued directions to crack down on anti-social elements in the State, the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement uploaded on its official twitter handle.
"CM has directed to further strengthen the Anti Narcotic Cell in the State," the CMO statement said without revealing, however, any specific details about the ANC's upgrade.
Top officials of the State administration, including the Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, the two District Collectors and senior police officials attended the meeting.
Goa's Advocate General, Devidas Pangam, also attended the meeting.
After a series of incidents, including the high-profile murder of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, hit the headlines nationally, Sawant has come under fire from Opposition parties and politicians owning responsibility for the law and order situation.
Phogat's murder last week at Anjuna where she was seen on multiple video footages having a night out at the infamous Curlies Shack, police say was by drugging her with "obnoxious substances" by spiking her drink.
The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) have separately demanded that Sawant resign or give up the home portfolio owning responsibility.
The incident at Curchorem on Thursday, wherein a worker involved in illegal sand mining was killed and another injured from gunshot injuries, only boldened the critics questioning the record of Sawant's administration on the law and order front.
There is a complete ban on sand mining due to court directions over environmental concerns, yet that the activity goes on at various locations was manifested by the firing incident at Curchorem which police believe is an offshoot of rivalry in the illegal trade.
At the meeting where transport and mines department officials were also present, Sawant also directed a multi-pronged crackdown on the sand mining trade, including the transportation of the crucial input for the construction industry.
