Goa now seems to have become a happy hunting ground for criminals from other countries as borne out by government data. Over the past 4 years, the number of crimes committed by foreigners in Goa has been more than twice the number of crimes committed against them. Police records show that between June 2020 and June 2023 in crimes related to foreigners, the outsiders were the perpetrators in 200 cases while they have been victims in 84. The Russians and Nigerians account for a bulk of the cases but Bulgarians, Romanians and Tanzanians are now cutting into their turf. The government should thoroughly investigate as to what it is about Goa that emboldens criminals both Indians and foreigners to set up shop here. Is it lax policing, nil fear of the law, corruptible law enforcers, an easy visa regime, 'sab chalta hai' or the gullibility of the simple folk ? Goa being a coastal state this constitutes a clear danger compromising national security. Crime has to be weeded out with an iron hand but for that you have to first acknowledge the enormity of the problem.
