We don’t want to scare you, but here’s a reality check

We don’t want to scare you, but here’s a reality check
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: This is not an alarm but a reality check. Though there is no immediate threat or intelligence input about an imminent attack in Goa, the heavy influx of tourists makes the state a likely terror target. And Goa is just not prepared.
After the Bali attack in 2006, Israel had asked its citizens to watch out for a copycat attack during Christmas in Goa. It may also be recalled that in February 2008, when terror suspect Riyazuddin Nasir alias Mohammed Ghouse was arrested in Karnataka, he said that they had been planning a series of terror activities along the Goa coastline.
The state has a mere 4000-strong police force to man the state’s 15 lakh residents apart from the 25 lakh tourists who pour in annually. With a red alert being sounded on Tuesday, the same personnel who earlier in the day were manning traffic were called in for night patrolling.
The state has a 105-km-long coastline that draws about four lakh foreign tourists every year. There are three coastal police stations—two in South Goa at Betul and at the harbour at Mormugao, and one in Siolim. All are illequipped and the South Goa stations do not even have a two wheeler, let alone a patrol vehicle. The Siolim station is fortunate to have a jeep, albeit a very old one. It breaks down every one kilometre.
The cops have just one bomb disposal squad, with about six men and one set of equipment. “The bomb detection squad consists of six to eight personnel, who have regular training in bomb detection and disposal,” said a top official.
“Goa police are not equipped to counter any terror attacks. They have neither the latest training nor the gadgets to fight terror. When they cannot handle small attacks on police stations how can they rise to save Goa from terror attacks?” says former IGP Prabhakar Sinari. GOA NOT EQUIPPED TO TACKLE TERROR Police strength
Less than 4,000 man
Goa’s 14 lakh population 25 lakh tourists annually
Coastal Police mobility
1 run-down jeep among 3 police stations that man the 105 km-long coastline thronged by tourists
Emergency Services 3 government-run hospitals; 19 primary health centres (PHCs); 100 ambulances (approx.) Significant shortage of doctors and support staff at PHCs. Average 15-20 beds for every 60,000 people*
* (Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report 2004. The situation persists) Top security ordered in the state
Panaji: With security experts not ruling out a terrorist attack in Goa, former Dy SP Gurudas Juwarkar says, “The Goa police intelligence gathering is neither strong nor are the intelligence personnel trained to gather information and pass it on to ensure that any terror threat is nipped in the bud. Without a strong intelligence by merely tightening security we cannot control terror.”
And tightening security is just what Goa did after it was put on red alert Tuesday night. “We are alert and have intensified patrolling in the state,” said IGP Kishan Kumar.
The police have beefed up security after a red alert was declared in the state following the serial blasts in Jaipur. North Goa SP Bosco George said, “After the red alert all of us were at various points throughout the night keeping a watch on vehicular movement and verifying and detaining people who looked suspicious. Only after we were convinced did we allow the people to proceed. Besides we have also strengthened our force at various check points.”
South Goa too followed a similar pattern. Speaking to TOI, South Goa Dy SP Gajanand Prabhudesai said, “Every vehicle was stopped and checked. If there were any suspicious people we double checked. Similarly at the border area every vehicle entering the state was also checked.”
Security at the airport, port, railway stations has been beefed up and so too along the coastal areas. It’s effectiveness though remains to be seen.
Security experts do not rule out a Bali-like terror strike that killed a number of tourists in the state. Goa receives about 25 lakh tourists every year. Of them, about 45% are Britons, 30% from other European countries and the rest from North America and the Far East.
Tourism is Goa’s major industry with a multiplier effect that percolates to a wide section of the population and the police are aware of the threat.
“We are working for a broader co-ordination among various agencies like the licensing authority for hotels, lodges, bars and restaurants to work handin-hand for a thorough cover of the coastal state to preempt terror strikes,” added the official. But verification of tenants renting houses does not always happen, though the authorities keep stressing on this.

2008 May 15 Times Of India Goa