Commendable job
Goa police have recently achieved success in recovering lost and stolen mobile phones. Efforts of the police have been appreciated by public. At the end of 2025, South Goa police reported the recovery of several mobile phones and in November, the stolen or lost mobile phones were returned to their rightful owners. Police make extensive use of the Central Equipment Identification Registry (CEIR) system and “technical assistance” to track, intercept and retrieve phones. Tourist police patrolling places like Calangute and Baga beaches have been active in arresting phone thieves and searching for the lost devices. After a thorough check of ownership, recovered phones and items are returned to their original owners, including victims from other states. So, kudos to the Goa police! Many social media users have praised the personnel. Public must immediately report about lost or stolen phones by registering complaints on the CEIR portal. People should be careful while purchasing second-hand phones, as, according to the North Goa SP, thefts have increased, especially in popular coastal areas like Calangute and Anjuna.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
Gross negligence
While owning pets is understandable, responsible pet ownership, unfortunately, is hard to come by quite often. The death of a golden retriever dog in a car due to extreme heat conditions after being trapped for more than an hour in Panaji should be treated as gross negligence. Appropriate sections of law should be thrust on the owner, who went to a nearby casino. Pet owners should know that temperature in enclosed vehicles can drastically rise. In a span of 15 minutes, helpless animals that cannot cry for help may succumb to heat conditions like stroke and exhaustion. Dogs, unlike human beings, have a limited ability to sweat, mainly from their paws and by panting, to lose their body heat. It is to be noted that leaving the car in shade does not make much difference. Atleast a small portion of the side windows needs to be open to allow ventilation. Air-conditioners can be set to appropriate temperatures to permit air circulation. Owners cannot be lost in their own world leaving their pets in the lurch.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Fragile de-escalation
Iran and the US have agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire, during which shipping traffic will be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz. This comes more than a month after the US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran.
Trump said he had agreed to suspend the attack on Iran for a period of two weeks, if Tehran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and other exports from the Gulf. Oil prices plunged soon after the announcement of the ceasefire and cheaper gas could be around the corner. Oil prices sank to $94 a barrel. Stocks and crypto rally, airlines will get relief on costs and everyone will be able to breathe a bit easier over energy prices, for now. Iran has agreed to allow vessels through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks, with their passage coordinated by the Iranian military. Iran’s victory in the field would also be consolidated in political negotiations. The US and Iran appear to have contradicting positions on what this ceasefire entails.
Gundu K Maniam, Tiruchirappalli
Solving kitchen crisis
The current liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crisis driven by geopolitical tensions in West Asia exposes a dangerous reliance on imports, which account for 60% of our supply. With domestic cylinder prices hitting Rs 928, the economic strain on households is undeniable. Transitioning to hydrous ethanol, which requires only 90% purity, offers a resilient homegrown solution. By diverting 250 crore litres of India’s 1,800 crore litre annual production, we can secure millions of kitchens without destabilising fuel blending targets. The government must integrate bioethanol into the Ujjwala Yojana and subsidise ethanol compatible stoves. True energy sovereignty lies in converting agricultural surplus into a stable blue flame future for every Indian home.
DrVijaykumar H K, Raichur
Police reforms
It is worth appreciable that the judge of the Madurai sessions court sentenced all the nine custodial death accused policemen to double death sentences, as the offence invited maximum punishment considering its gravity. This is a rare judgment on custodial death of two individuals. The fine of Rs 1.84 crore imposed on the main accused is apparently meant as a token compensation to the bereaved family of the two deceased. The court has sentenced nine policemen to death in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial murder of Jayaraj and Bennix. The verdict highlights systemic issues in policing, lack of accountability and the urgent need for police reforms to prevent custodial violence in India.
Yashpal Ralhan, Jalandhar
