Staff Reporter
Margao
The Congress party on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, in the wake of recent incidents of crime, including that of thieves firing at police at Zuarinagar. The opposition party demanded a thorough investigation into the firing
incident.
“Goa has turned into a criminal destination under the BJP government. Firing at the police in Vasco indicates that the crimes in Goa have reached a new high. The government must step up action to provide safety and security to the citizens. There is complete collapse of law and order in the state. Also the incident of daylight attempt of snatching a gold chain of an elderly woman clearly gives a signal that there is no fear of law enforcing authorities among the criminals,” said Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao.
He also called on the need for the police department to be given modern gadgets and vehicles keeping in view the changing modus operandi of criminals in the state.
Speaking to media persons at the South Goa Congress district office, district president Savio D’Silva said, “The law and order is going from bad to worse. Today thieves are shooting at the police. We demand and ask the DIG to take action and bring a stop to the crimes in the state.”
Congress general secretary Moreno Rebelo said, “The viral video of an elderly lady being robbed is scary and more so that it is happening in broad daylight. Women in the state are not safe to come out of their homes. The police themselves are also not safe in the state. What is the home minister doing? We request the people to be alert and when the time comes to vote, to do so wisely.”
The party’s Cortalim leader Olencio Simoes also took to highlighting illegalities in the constituency. “In the last one year, in Cortalim alone there were cases of chain snatching, house robberies, forest fires, LPG smuggling and now it has reached the height of shooting. The administration in the state has collapsed. Sancoale has become a den of crime and I demand the home minister to form a committee and look into illegalities happening in the state. Police are taking action against people raising issues and those exercising their right to complain against the wrongdoings like activists,” he said.