Goa govt to beef up intelligence wing of police

In order to check the rising crime rate in the state, the Goa state government has decided to strengthen the intelligence wing of the local police force.

Speaking to Business Standard, state chief secretary, J P Singh, said that the police intelligence would be beefed up in view of unsavoury activities being reported in the state.

In the recent past, alleged terrorists have stayed in Goa including Tariq Battlo and Shamim Ahmed. Besides, narcotic trade and movement of gangsters as well as persons wanted for other crimes has also been reported in Goa.

"All types of people, disguising as tourists arrive in Goa and the intelligence system should have information about them well in advance to keep a check on them," he said.

Singh said that augmenting intelligence network was one of the priorities identified in a high level meeting in New Delhi.

The director general of police, Neeraj Kumar is preparing a plan to strengthen the intelligence unit. Goa will have around five coastal security police stations as per the tentative plan of the Union Home Ministry.

Singh said, the police stations will either be new, or extensions of the existing ones along the coast.

In a bid to equip the coastal states on the west coast, the Centre has decided to set up 68 coastal police stations in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka and provide them with necessary equipment, including high-speed boats.

The Rs 329.62-crore plan envisages setting up a marine police force to complement the activities of the Coast Guard in tackling smuggling of arms and narcotics and to also take part in rescue operations.

"The expenditure incurred in the first three years will be borne by the Union government. All these police stations will be interlinked and information will be shared on a regular basis," Singh disclosed.

The Centre would also supply rubber inflammable boats to Goa. The design has been approved by the state government. Out of the total 68 police stations all along the coast, Goa will have five marine police stations.

Besides, the central government would provide 184 boats, 124 jeeps and 279 motorcycles to these marine police stations, spread across the 7516.6 km coastline.