INSAS rifles to give police more fire power

INSAS rifles to give police more fire power
Preetu Nair, TNN

PANAJI: The Goa government finally seems to have woken up to the need of modernizing its police force. About 100 INSAS rifles have been procured
as part of the plan to phase out the 3000-odd vintage .303 rifles the force had been using so far.

However, some hiccups in the transition process still remain. Although Goa has the guns, it does not have the ammunition. The guns arrived last month, but lay unused till last week until the state government received "on loan" a consignment of ammunition from the Delhi police. Following this, the guns have been distributed to various police stations and units so that their personnel could be trained in handling the weapon.

Officials in charge of the modernization process played down the lack of ammunition and said that things would be sorted out soon. "Requisitions for the ammunition have already been placed and it's a matter of time before the bullets arrive," they said.

Panaji, Calangute, Anjuna, Pernem and Porvorim police stations in North Goa and Vasco, Colva, Margao, Verna, Cuncolim and Canacona in South Goa have received the rifles, procured at a cost of about Rs 10 lakh. "We have received the INSAS assault rifles, some of which we have distributed. Now we are in the process of training our policemen in handling the gun," said Goa police's official spokesperson SP (intelligence) A V Deshpande.

The state's security is being beefed up after a confidential police department note said that the police needed to be on guard "in view of the prevailing situation in the country, intelligence inputs regarding terror threats to states on the western coast of India" and possible trouble during "the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations".

In view of the threat perception, SDPOs and police inspectors of both districts have been directed to conduct regular checks at strategic points, especially at night, to prevent the movement of suspicious persons and arms and ammunition.

They have also been asked to step up patrolling at vital installations, railway stations, bus stands and other important places. The police have also increased their coordination with fishermen, hoteliers, cyber cafe and PCO owners and taxi operators, sensitizing them about the security measures.

Beat officers have been asked to check hotels, guest houses, cyber cafes and PCOs in their area at regular intervals, said police sources. Besides tenant verification, the police have been instructed to take action against those landlords who have failed to furnish tenant details.

15 July 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition