Once upon a time, Goa was synonymous with sunsets, susegad, and sandy shores. Now? It’s making headlines for reasons that would make a crime novelist blush. Murders, rapes, acid attacks, armed robberies, and kidnappings—it’s a crime buffet, and the public is choking on it.
Let’s take a grim walk down recent memory lane.
On June 12, two minor girls were raped in Calangute. By June 22, not to be outdone, a rapist targeted an 80-year-old woman. Apparently, age is no barrier to perversion. As if that's not vile enough, an 18-year-old girl stepped forward to reveal she’s been sexually assaulted since 2021 by a 24-year-old man. Oh, and let’s not forget the private medical practitioner; a title once associated with healing—now charged with raping a nurse. In February this year 4 men raped a mentally challenged 25 years old woman at Cansaulim.
And in a shocking twist that looks more like a scene from Netflix crime series, two men on a bike threw acid on a 17-year-old boy. Goa: come for the beaches, stay for the trauma.
Now, enter our valiant police force—masters of poetic press conferences. "Organized crime", "personal disputes", "crimes of passion"—their vocabulary is worthy of a literature award. And of course, they always end on a comforting note: “We are working tirelessly to bring justice.” Tiring is right, especially for the public waiting for a shred of action while the perpetrators sip tea.
Let’s face it. Justice in Goa (or India) is not only delayed, it’s often denied. Trials drag on longer than Bollywood sequels. Witnesses grow old, memories fade, and evidence—well, if it ever existed—is “under investigation.” Gathering evidence here is still in the “baby’s first steps” phase. You could hand them a confession and they'd still ask for “further verification.”
Of course, it's not just about bodily crimes. We’ve got robberies and kidnappings too! Because why not? In April, a senior couple in their 70s were tied up and terrorized in their Dona Paula home by three armed men. A businessman in Ponda was kidnapped in broad daylight. Sunburn Festival isn’t the only thing happening in daylight anymore.
And how do our men in uniform respond? By doing what they do best—announcing initiatives. “Enhanced patrolling,” “community policing programs”— all the right buzzwords. For a week or two, they’re suddenly everywhere, then poof — back to their cozy status quo.
Try calling the police. Just try. Phones; paid for by you, dear taxpayer, ring endlessly. Calls to stations are answered with classic replies like, “No vehicle,” “Will dispatch someone,” or the ever-reassuring “No officer is around.” Apparently, criminals know better than to commit crimes when cops are actually at work.
Meanwhile, the people of Goa are angry and afraid. Violent crime is on the rise, and the sense of security has evaporated faster than government promises. Political pressure is mounting on the non-Goan Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant, and rightfully so. He is, after all, the Home Minister.
Let’s be blunt: Pramod Sawant has failed. Miserably.
Instead of addressing the crime wave, he’d rather talk about roads, bridges, and statues. Ask him about law and order, and he’ll pivot to a PowerPoint about infrastructure. What’s a few acid attacks and rapes when you’ve got a fancy new sewage treatment plant to show off?
Who could forget his 2021 masterclass in victim blaming? Two 14-year-old girls raped in Benaulim, and Sawant’s response? “They shouldn’t have been out at night.” Truly revolutionary stuff. He even reminded parents it’s their job to keep children safe, as if the government and police are just decorative entities, like Christmas lights.
But if you think that’s bad, remember: Sawant is also fond of blaming the Portuguese. Colonialism, for him they are the root cause of all evil, even crimes that occurred this week. Ironically, people still recall how, during the Portuguese era, one could leave their doors open at night and sleep soundly. Simply because there was this thing called fear of the law.
That fear? It’s dead. Buried. Cremated. Under the BJP regime, law is optional, accountability is a myth, and criminals have better odds than citizens.
So, here we are. A beautiful state drowning in crime and denial, where the police are missing, the government is clueless, and the criminals? They're just getting started.
Truly, the Sun has set on law and order in Goa!
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