In a recent shocking incident thieves burgled six shops in Porvorim including the well known super market and managed to decamp Rs. 70000 in cash. According to the sources robbery could have been stopped only if PCR responded to the repeated calls made by an active citizen. This incident took place in early morning on Monday when the robbers from neighboring state managed to enter the shops by breaking open the shutters using the chopper and cutter.
According to the sources the robbery struck at around 5.30am and that the thieves didn’t take any goods from the stores. A medical store, supermarket, and a pet shop, automobile store and agricultural equipment shop were among the stores targeted. The burglars forcefully gained entry into the shops by bending the shutters. According to police, there were four accused persons involved in the thefts and their faces are clearly visible in the footage captured in the CCTV cameras. A four-wheeler in which the robbers had come to the area was also seen in the CCTV footage. Sources said the Porvorim police have traced the accused to a vehicle they used to enter the state from the Maharashtra border at about 3.30am.
Goa Police used the whatsapp platform to circulate the images of the accused captured on the CCTV cameras while in action. Meanwhile Police has also verified the vehicle registration number and it is found to be the genuine. The vehicle is from Maharashtra and a police team was on its way to Raigad in Maharashtra. Police are also in process to establish the identity of the accused whose faces were clearly visible on the CCTV footage. Goa Police has also contacted their counterparts in Sindhudurg, Raigad and Belgaum in connection with the case.
Though Goa Police swung into the action post robbery but according to the information available from the reliable sources Police department could have managed to nab the robbers red handed if they had taken the cognizance of the repeated calls made to PCR by an active citizen who supposedly sensed something fishy around the vicinity and made almost 15 calls to PCR but in vain.
The sources in Porvorim police station had revealed that “one person who was in a car at Porvorim had noticed the movement of thieves and had seen them while breaking the locks of Wheel Planet shop at Porvorim with a chopper and cutter. Immediately, he tried calling PCR on 100 at least 15 times but his efforts went in vain and he was forced to head to Porvorim Police Station. However, by the time the police reached the spot, the thieves had managed accomplish their mission fled from the scene.
The Porvorim police have registered the case against the culprits under sections 454, 457 and 380 of IPC. The vehicle used in the robbery is having MH registration and as per the information provided by the border check post the vehicle no. MH-06-BE-0995 had entered the Goa at around 3.30am on Monday and informer called on PCR 100 at 4.30 am but Porvorim police rebutting the claims saying “they received the information at 6.10 am from the complainant, who is a owner of one of the shops. A senior police officer stated that if the call was received on time then police would have trapped the culprits by alarming all the neighboring PCR vans”.
According to the claim made by one of the local news media their investigations have revealed that Police Control Room (PCR) of Goa Police is completely paralyzed, out of seven units only three are operational due to lack of staff appointed at PCR and according to them on Sunday night only two staff were available to attend the calls made to PCR “100”, one of the officer told on the condition of anonymity that the staff which suppose to handle the full fledged PCR is not available and most of the ladies staff are on childcare or maternity leaves due to which PCR is facing the hardship. Besides handling the calls on “100” their staff has to attend the calls on senior citizen helpline, coastal terror helpline, women & child helpline and police exchange.
On the one side ruling government in the centre as well as local level talking about the creation of smart cities while the basic infrastructure itself is not in its place. The most important PCR is not in place and this is not the only incident, earlier also there are cases of lapses from PCR. This robbery could have been avoided if PCR were making rounds to the area in proper intervals or at least in the absence of the same they could have attended the calls made to them instead of denying the facts. Nevertheless the available system of CCTV made the breakthrough into the matter to some extent and rest Goa Police will handle efficiently. Please don’t forget to leave your most valuable comments and suggestions on this serious issue.
Sources: Various Sources
Edited by: Goa Prism News Desk
