Goa Police blocking crime data, reporters complain

The crime reporters in Goa have complained to Director General of Police T.N. Mohan about attempts by the police to block information about crime data.

The information blockade by Goa Police continued for the fifth day Tuesday, journalists said.

The step came amid severe and consistent criticism of the media by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who said media should be kept out of the loop during deliberations and decision-making processes.

Speaking to IANS Tuesday, Vilas Mahadik, a journalist with vernacular daily Dainik Gomantak, said the information blockade began Friday when reporters were denied access to the Daily Situation Report (DSR), which has been routinely shared with beat reporters for several years now.

"The DSRs are only a compilation of crimes registered across Goa and its bare information. We are now being denied this basic information by the police, which has been made routinely available to us since I started on the beat," Mahadik said.

Mahadik has been reporting on the local crime beat for nearly two decades.

Mahadik and other journalists Monday reported the matter to Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg, who, he claimed, did not give any assurance about restarting the information sharing process.

DGP Mohan told IANS late Tuesday evening that he was clueless about the matter.

"If it has stopped, I don't know why. I'll speak to them. We will give you all the details. Do not worry," Mohan said.

On Sunday, Parrikar, who was speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industries' (CII) 'Knowledge Connect' project, said that the media should be used only to communicate final outcomes and decisions.