ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Goa police cracks down on corrupt cops and cabbies

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

It is commonly believed that cops and cabbies in Goa make a career of cheating tourists. There isn't much evidence to refute this view but Director General of Police R S Sahay hopes he can change things at a time the tourist season is just opening in Goa.

"I have made the respective police officers and higher officials directly accountable for any injustice done to any tourist. They will have to face stringent action," says Sahay.

The meter is never used on the taxis, most of them white Maruti vans. While the system here charges Rs seven per km, cabbies charge double and even triple the official rate. Similar is the case with rickshaws and even the hired motorcycles -- the unique system operating in Goa.

"We will fully co-operate with the police. Our officials will also moving into action if any cab driver is seen violating the law," says A T Kamat, the transport director. Kamat announced special contact numbers only to deal with such complaints.

The department is planning to put up hoardings and posters displaying the official fares at the airport, railway stations, bus stands and in hotels. Advertisements are also being released in local newspapers.

Sahay also plans to deal with policemen, who normally target the foreign tourists carrying foreign exchange. These policemen allegedly plant drugs on these tourists and extort foreign exchange from them. The tourists pay up since otherwise they risk a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Unlike in the past, when such things were flatly denied, Sahay does not rule out that tourists have been framed.

"I am taking every possible precaution to ensure such incidents do not occur," he says.

The tourist police has been put under the state police department from this year, and local police officials in the coastal belt are to be directly accountable for any illegality. The district SPs are held responsible for what happens in rest of the state.

To make the tourists aware of stringent punishments for possessing or consuming drugs or holding / attending the acid parties or even playing music beyond 10 pm, the police department is planning special posters, to be put up everywhere, listing out Dos and Don'ts.

"We also want to clear the wrong impression that Goa is a place for 'unlimited fun' of any kind, may it be drugs, acid parties or child abuse," says Sahay. The department is also keeping a watch on several Internet sites, used by groups abroad, to advertise acid parties in Goa.

Though the state departments appear quite sincere in the effort, it has still to contend with political patrons in the state. And there is no real way these departments have to fight with that.

Tell us what you think of this report