Burglary at BJP Sanquelim office: 2 detained, Cong slams govt

Bicholim/Panaji: The Bicholim police on Wednesday detained two people involved in the mobile theft case in BJP’s Sanquelim office on Saturday.

According to police, the culprits entered the office by breaking the locks of the main door and stole two mobiles from the office table. The investigation was in progress under the guidance of PI Vijay Rane.

Congress ridiculed govt’s claims about safety and security after this incident. They said the burglary proved that law and order collapsed under chief minister Pramod Sawant’s watch.

“If the ruling party’s own offices are not safe, it speaks volumes about the current state of policing and governance in Goa," said party spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar. The party said that with every passing day, robberies, along with other crimes, are increasing, with the “incapacitated govt” exerting no control on crime. Goa police come under the home department, which reports to Sawant.

Panjikar said that despite repeated assurances by Sawant, chain snatchings, robberies in urban areas, drug-related violence, and narcotics trade across Goa are on the rise.

“The police force is understaffed, under-equipped, and increasingly politicised, functioning to protect the powerful more than the public. The incident at Sanquelim is a clear embarrassment for the chief minister,” said Panjikar.