Latest news with #GoaPolice
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sack Rane, he has habit of insulting doctors: Congress
Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant should immediately sack health minister Vishwajit Rane for abusing and threatening the casualty medical officer at GMC, said Congress workers on Sunday. Congress also demanded that Goa Police file a police complaint against Rane for threatening, abusing, and verbally attacking a doctor on duty. 'We demand that the chief minister of Goa file a complaint under Section 504 against Rane. The health minister should be charged for issuing a threat to a duty doctor in charge. Rane should be sacked from all his ministerial posts, and he should be arrested and put in jail,' said Congress workers. 'There is also a high court judgement that says that the ministers have no jurisdiction to issue suspension orders against a doctor,' said state Congress president Amit Patkar. Patkar further said that doctors and patients have a right to privacy in hospital wards, and ministers are not authorised to click pictures or shoot videos inside medical facilities. The GPCC chief was reacting to an incident involving Rane and a duty doctor at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC). 'If a patient has to visit GMC for a B12 injection, then it is a failure of govt,' Patkar said, adding that this incident reflects a larger problem of misgovernance in the health department. 'This is not the first time that Rane has done this. He illegally suspended Dr Pradeep Naik in the past as well,' he added. Describing Rane's behaviour as criminal, Patkar said that the minister has made it a habit of routinely targeting govt employees in various departments. Congress has given state govt a 72-hour deadline to act. 'We are prepared to hit the streets,' Patkar said.
India Today
4 days ago
- India Today
Goa land scam case: Key accused sent to ED custody for forging sale deeds
Rohan Harmalkar, one of the key masterminds in the Goa Land Scam case, has been sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till June 18 following his arrest by the probe agency on June initiated investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by the Goa Police against Rohan Harmalkar and others under various sections of the IPC, 1860, for defrauding rightful property owners through fraudulent means, including impersonation, creation of fake documents, tampering with revenue records, properties, originally owned by individuals and family estates, were unlawfully sold without their consent, causing significant financial and legal distress to the victims. ED investigation revealed that Rohan Harmalkar is one of the key conspirators of the Goa Land Scam, orchestrating the forgery and manipulation of sale deeds for multiple properties. He has also impersonated legitimate heirs, counterfeited government stamps and used them as genuine to unlawfully acquire in April, search operations conducted by the ED discovered voluminous incriminating property documents indicating manipulation of land records and fraudulent transfers of high-value land parcels spanning several lakh square meters in prime tourist hotspots such as Anjuna, Arpora, and Assagao in Bardez Taluka, the searches and the post-search investigation, Rohan Harmalkar remained absconding. He was subsequently arrested on June In
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Time of India
‘Safety First' initiative focuses on kids, women on public transport
Panaji: Transport minister Mauvin Godinho launched the 'Safety First – Empowering and Protecting Women and Children in Goa' initiative at the Kadamba Bus Stand in Panaji on Wednesday. The initiative aims to raise awareness about public transport safety through the strategic placement of awareness posters and helpline stickers inside Kadamba buses, private buses, taxis, and rickshaws. The stickers prominently display contact information for essential helplines, including those for childline, women's safety, Goa Police, and other emergency services. 'Whether it is a bus, taxi, or rickshaw, women commuters should feel safe. Their safety is our priority. To ensure this, the helpline can be used to file a complaint if needed," Godinho said. 'There is a rise in untoward incidents, especially in public transport. The police cannot monitor every location or act unless there is a complaint. The helpline is there to ensure that women are aware that help is available and such incidents will be reduced. Our goal is to eliminate these issues," he added. The campaign is organised by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) in collaboration with Goa Police and SCAN – Goa. The initiative, with a two-phase approach, first saw the installation of hoardings on electrical poles in Panaji. The second phase, currently under way, involves placing helpline stickers at bus stands across Goa. 'On average, we receive 30 cases a month. People often don't know that the police helpline number is now 112, not 100,' said a SCAN Goa representative. 'Through this campaign, we are working in prevention mode so that individuals can feel safe when using public transport.'
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Stampede in north Goa temple kills 6, injures 70 during annual festival
Panaji: At least six people were killed and 70 others injured in a stampede on Friday night during an annual temple pilgrimage festival, Jatra, at Lairai Devi temple in north Goa's Shirgao village, state officials said. Jatra, held in honour of Sri Lairai Devi, is attended by thousands of devotees known as Dhonds, who circle a fire pit (homkhund) and walk over the burning hot coals. The event also draws lakhs of devotees and onlookers who gather to witness the spectators. 'Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at the Lairai Zatra in Shirgaon this morning. I visited the hospital to meet the injured and have assured all possible support to the affected families. I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure that every necessary measure is being taken,' Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said on X, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken a 'detailed stock of the situation, offering his full support during this difficult time.' Sawant visited the Asilo district hospital in north Goa and the Bicholim primary health centre to meet with the injured. Among the injured, ten patients are reported to be in critical condition and are under observation at Goa Medical College near Panaji. Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that additional doctors have been deployed, and a dedicated intensive care unit has been set up to provide focused care. The stampede took place around 3 am, a police officer said, requesting anonymity. He added, 'There is a steep incline to approach the temple. A huge crowd of devotees had gathered on that narrow stretch to offer prayers. The circumstances are not yet clear, but it appears that one person fell on that slope, which then led to a stampede.' Earlier, the Goa Police had said that the 'highest-ever deployment of police personnel had been made to maintain law and order and to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual zatra at Shirgao, Bicholim.' To ensure the smooth flow of traffic and proper parking of vehicles on Friday, traffic police along with 'one deputy superintendent of police, 14 police inspectors, 28 police sub-inspectors, 16 assistant sub-inspectors, 50 head constables, 310 police constables and 65 lady police constables from north Goa district police have been deployed for effective crowd control, safe and smooth passage to the devotees. Besides, three male platoons and two female platoons of IRBn and 50 police constables from Goa reserve police force have been deployed for Jatra bandobast,' police superintendent (north Goa) Akshat Kaushal, had said on Friday. 'Aerial drones have been placed for covering the Ariel view of Jatra/Festival and to maintain surveillance on the movements of the crowd. Vajra Van (riot control vehicle) is also stationed at the venue of Jatra. Plain cloth Police staff have also been deployed to keep check on the activities of criminals/anti-social elements and to prevent and detect crime like pick pocketing, eve teasing etc. Proper coordination is maintained with the managing committee of the Devasthan,' Kaushal had said.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
North Goa temple: Stampede kills 6, injures 30 during annual pilgrimage festival
Panaji: At least six people were killed and 30 others injured in a stampede on Friday night during an annual temple pilgrimage festival, Jatra, at Lairai Devi temple in north Goa's Shirgao village, state officials said. Jatra, held in honour of Sri Lairai Devi, is attended by thousands of devotees known as Dhonds, who circle a fire pit (homkhund) and walk over the burning hot coals. The event also draws lakhs of devotees and onlookers who gather to witness the spectators. 'Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at the Lairai Zatra in Shirgaon this morning. I visited the hospital to meet the injured and have assured all possible support to the affected families. I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure that every necessary measure is being taken,' Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said on X, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken a 'detailed stock of the situation, offering his full support during this difficult time.' Sawant visited the Asilo district hospital in north Goa and the Bicholim primary health centre to meet with the injured. Among the injured, ten patients are reported to be in critical condition and are under observation at Goa Medical College near Panaji. Health minister Vishwajit Rane said that additional doctors have been deployed, and a dedicated intensive care unit has been set up to provide focused care. The stampede took place around 3 am, a police officer said, requesting anonymity. He added, 'There is a steep incline to approach the temple. A huge crowd of devotees had gathered on that narrow stretch to offer prayers. The circumstances are not yet clear, but it appears that one person fell on that slope, which then led to a stampede.' Earlier, the Goa Police had said that the 'highest-ever deployment of police personnel had been made to maintain law and order and to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual zatra at Shirgao, Bicholim.' To ensure the smooth flow of traffic and proper parking of vehicles on Friday, traffic police along with 'one deputy superintendent of police, 14 police inspectors, 28 police sub-inspectors, 16 assistant sub-inspectors, 50 head constables, 310 police constables and 65 lady police constables from north Goa district police have been deployed for effective crowd control, safe and smooth passage to the devotees. Besides, three male platoons and two female platoons of IRBn and 50 police constables from Goa reserve police force have been deployed for Jatra bandobast,' police superintendent (north Goa) Akshat Kaushal, had said on Friday. 'Aerial drones have been placed for covering the Ariel view of Jatra/Festival and to maintain surveillance on the movements of the crowd. Vajra Van (riot control vehicle) is also stationed at the venue of Jatra. Plain cloth Police staff have also been deployed to keep check on the activities of criminals/anti-social elements and to prevent and detect crime like pick pocketing, eve teasing etc. Proper coordination is maintained with the managing committee of the Devasthan,' Kaushal had said.
