Porvorim police approach to crime is casual: Khaunte

PANAJI: Claiming that the Porvorim police had become casual in their approach, Porvorim MLA (Independent) Rohan Khaunte demanded that the state home ministry review the performance of the Porvorim police station.
Speaking at a press conference in the city on Monday, Khaunte cited a recent example where the Porvorim police inspector refused to file an FIR in a burglary case.Khaunte alleged that the police inspector went on to ask the complainant, a senior citizen, to rear a dog for protection.
The victim, a senior citizen in her late 60s, had approached the police last week to register her complain and following the police refusal to do so, she approached the electronic media and narrated her plight.
“The police have lost credibility,” Khaunte said. “There is no seriousness as far as tackling law and order is concerned. If the police inspector can’t manage, he must vacate the post and take a private job,” the MLA, who had a brush with the police in the past too, demanded.
But, a senior police officer said that the senior citizen had given a written statement to the local police station saying that she did not want to file an FIR as the items stolen were a couple of brass pots.
“I am reading from the hand written application that she has submitted. In it, she herself says that she doesn’t want to file an FIR but would like the items to be returned to her if the police find the culprit,” the official said.
Khaunte, who has lent outside support to the ruling BJP-led government, has said that if the government does not take action he would do what is necessary to take the issue to its logical conclusion. The Porvorim MLA refused to set a deadline for the government and preferred to say that he would decide on his next step later.
Khaunte alleged that the local police were refusing to file complaints as they wanted to show that the crime rate in their jurisdiction was low. He went on to add that the police were turning a blind eye towards prostitution, drug peddling and abuse, land grab, fraud and burglary that were rampant in the area.
“The police had promised increased patrolling and tenancy verification but nothing has been done. Every time I ask about it, I hear excuses about Iffi and Exposition,” Khaunte added. Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar holds the home ministry portfolio.