GOA, WHERE NOT ONLY THE COMMON MAN, BUT THE ELECTED MLA, AND CABINET MINISTER ALSO SENSE THE THREAT FROM THE DRUG MAFIA, DUE TO AN ALLEGED POLICE DRUG MAFIA NEXUS. DURING THE RECENT RAIDS AT THE SEVERAL PLACES IN GOA, INCLUDING THE FAMOUS CURLIES AND CLUB NYX, THE BIG DRUG RACKET CAME INTO THE LIGHT, AND IT ALSO SURFACED THE CONNECTION OF POLICE WITH THE DRUG MAFIA, AND THE ONLY PERSON IN THE GOA’S POLITICS WHO CAME OUT STRONGLY AGAINST IT, WAS THE WRD MINISTER VINOD PALYEKAR..,
Whenever someone comes out bluntly against the wrongdoings in the society, he or she has to face the fury of the perpetrators of the society. The case of drug peddling and prostitution are two such things that are an integral part of any place that has a fully developed tourism business, and Goa is not immune to this.
Everyone knows that the drug trade is taking place in Goa from a long time back, and the only difference is, earlier the hippies used to carry the drugs for their own consumption, but now it has become one of the most profitable business in the state with many stakeholders involved into it.
The recent raids on the famous shacks and nightclubs in the North Goa had unearthed the prevalence of a drug trade on the beach belts of Goa, and something that was happening behind the curtain for a long time had finally come into the lime light. The drug mafia and police nexus also become obvious as the drug trade was not possible without the knowledge of the concern cops of that location.
Mr. Vinod Palyekar was the first person to protest against the drug racket prevailing in the north Goa beach belt especially, in his constituency. Following the death of two youth from Kerala due to the drug overdose, the WRD minister demanded the strict action against the drug trade prevailing in the beach belts, and subsequent to that the raids were conducted by Goa police on the various locations, and recovered the drugs from the possession of waiters and customers of Curlies, the famous beach shack in North Goa and Club NYX the night club situated in the same location beside the sizeable amount of drugs was seized from Mapusa.
Both the places, Curlies and Club Nyx are located in the constituency that belongs to Mr. Palyekar. In one of the recent interview with the local TV Channel, Mr. Palyekar had revealed that his life is in danger, and he feels that there is a threat to his life. “Earlier, I used to go to the beach for a morning walk, but now I have stopped. I have the feeling that someone is following me and keeping watch on all my movements,” said Mr. Palyekar adding that since he had exposed many people, there is a strong possibility that someone is trying to eradicate him.
According to Mr. Palyekar, the local police are “hand in gloves” with the drug mafias as without their support the drug trade cannot prevail in the coastal belts. “The same cops are serving on the police station for more than two years. The Constables, PSI, and PI have nexus with the drug mafia,” alleged Mr. Palyekar in an interview. Palyekar further said that this police personnel knows where the drug trade is going on but they are not taking any action against the same.
Mr. Palyekar did not refrain from taking potshots at the Calangute MLA Mr. Micheal Lobo saying that he is not cultivating the drugs in his constituency, and it is very much available wide-spread across the state. “Mr. Lobo blames us saying that drug is coming from Siolim, I would like to tell Mr. Lobo that we are not cultivating the drugs in our fields and drugs does not come from Siolim but everyone knows from where the drugs get circulated in the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to the another report that was published in the national daily The Hindustan Times the special security committee (SSC) had sought the reports from Goa police’s IB (Intelligence Branch) about the threat and stalking as alleged by the minister in an interview given to the local TV Channel. Talking to PTI on Wednesday, Superintendent of Police (Special Branch) Umesh Gaonkar said, “The SSC has asked the IB to submit the report within a week on the threat perception to Palyekar. The local police station has also been informed about it.”
The senior police sources have said that after getting the reports from the IB, police will decide upon the reviewing the security of the minister. Meanwhile the GFP (Goa Forward Party) spokesperson Mr. Trojano D’Mello has told the media that The matter is serious as the minister has expressed his fears. “I feel that the state police should investigate it.”
What do you think about this issue? Do you think that life of common man is safe in the state where the cabinet ministers receive the threat from drug mafia? What measures does police taking in this? when will the situation in the state improve?
