Abysmal conviction rate
The Goa police have said they achieved a 96.6 per cent detection rate in heinous crime cases while around 88 per cent in overall cases in 2024. A total of 2,096 cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code. However in all, only 250 persons were convicted till October 2024. The police have achieved a 35 per cent detection rate for cybercrime offences, with 18 out of 56 cases solved and 45 arrests made. The police have also seized Rs 9.81 crore worth of drugs in 2024. However the conviction rate does not compare well with the detection rate. As per statistics conviction rate in India is 57 per cent. However, Goa is on a lower side, with a conviction rate of 19.8 per cent which is the sixth lowest in the country and needs to improve. The low conviction rate in the state is due to lack of in-depth and scientific investigation, hostile witnesses and the long duration of trials. In addition to this, the pendency of cases waiting for trial is well above 90 per cent. Conviction in anti-corruption, vigilance and Lokayukta cases too is below average. NDPS cases are dismissed as investigators don’t follow the procedure mandated in attachment of the seized drugs and psychotropic substance. Obviously the evidence collected from the crime scene is the most important factor for securing a conviction in the court of law. Public prosecutors cannot be blamed for the low conviction rate. It is for the police to independently collect evidence.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Blemish on destination
A tourist from Andhra Pradesh lost his life after he and his friends were brutally assaulted at a popular beach shack in Calangute by the owners and non-Goan workers following a dispute over a food order. The altercation quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. This tragic incident highlights the growing concern that the hospitality industry in the state has become less welcoming. The reality is that Goa has increasingly become an unsafe destination for tourists, as the tourism sector is increasingly dominated by unprofessional and notorious people from neighbouring states. The industry continues to attract domestic tourists, who are lured by cheap alcohol, drugs, and other illicit activities; many shack workers—often from outside Goa—are poorly trained in handling difficult situations, especially during peak seasons like Christmas and New Year. Until the state government and tourism stakeholders address these issues, such unfortunate events will continue tarnishing the reputation of Goa as a tourist destination.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Praiseworthy initiative
The Goa Foundation recently conducted a series of courses, including legal training, aimed at empowering interested people and activists. The goal was to better equip Goans to legally protect the state’s lands, hills, forests, trees, and waterbodies, all of which are under increasing threat. I extend my gratitude to the Goa Foundation and everyone who came together to educate others in this vital initiative for Goa’s future. From what I have gathered through news reports and conversations with participants, it is clear that there is still much that can be done to preserve what remains of Goa. All that is needed is for more Goans—and like-minded individuals from outside the state—to join the cause. Reflecting on the words from the 2017 High Court judgment, which famously declared “Goa is a land worth fighting for,” I hope this can serve as a guiding mission for all Goans as we enter the New Year, 2025.
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
Solace in numbers
The ‘coaching capital’ of India, Rajasthan’s Kota is again in the news but this time for the right reasons. Or so it seems as the district collector has said that there was a “50 per cent reduction in student suicides in 2024 as compared to 2023”. Although the official figure is not available, an unconfirmed report says 17 students committed suicide in 2024 while the corresponding number in 2023 was 26. ‘Gatekeeper training’ to all hostel wardens has been the topmost initiative of the district administration. In this, wardens are trained to recognise suicide warning signs and identify those who may be at immediate as well as late risk as per the standard WHO guidelines. Frequent interaction of the administration with the students may also have helped. As is known, there is no real substitute for systematic counselling to spot and treat suicidal tendencies. All important measures undertaken by the district authorities in Kota essentially involves counselling, and this requires to be sustained throughout.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Choose path of light
Past resembled the dark age of ‘Might is Right’, where neither was any concept of nation nor law. Present resembles (at least theoretically) an era of law, judiciary and Constitution which also speaks of secularism in this heterogeneous country of all. It is high time the hatemongers learned to walk ahead on the path of light and modernity instead of going back to the muscle-flexing dark medieval age with the goal of rewriting history by ‘discovering’ temples under perhaps all Islamic sites!
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata
