When a police dog sniffed its way from U-Raikar Jewellers to the Margao railway station — via the station road, old railway station and railway tracks — no miscreant involved in the gold heist could be spotted around the railway platform.
This is not the first time that sniffer dogs have led the men-in-uniform to the railway station, only indicating once again, that Margao railway station has become the entry-exit point for outstation criminals operating in the State.
The porous security at the railway station — sans any hi-tech security system and additional manpower — has only exposed the security arrangement at the station.
Besides, the entire station road, old railway station and Aquem railway station road have become a hub of migrants, with the police finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a tab on their nefarious activities.
Some time last year, the authorities tried to crack the whip against Sunday’s chor bazar on grounds that many a stolen property finds its way to the Station Road. How and who has intervened to help resume the activity remains a mystery, with fingers pointing at the political class.
Incidentally, other than the LIB (Local Intelligence Bureau) personnel, there’s no major patrolling of the Station Road-Aquem railway station stretch, allowing a field day for miscreants.
Says a senior police officer: “The railway station is now the major entry and exit point for outstation criminals. A thorough security review is required to plug all loopholes, possibly with additional manpower.”
Incidentally, strange it may seem the Konkan Railway Police station — proposed in early 2000 — is yet to function effectively till date. The DySP of this police station sits in the district police headquarters, Margao for want of a full-fledged police station, which is presently under construction.
Another police officer underlined the need for close co-ordination between Goa police and the Railway Protection Force for close screening of the criminal elements entering or fleeing the State.
-Herald, Goa Daily
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[...] Margao railway station was transformed into a high security zone on Monday September 22 morning, as Marusagar Express chugged in at 11.10 am. [...]