I must have arrived on the scene just as it was unfolding. Around 11:45 a.m. yesterday (31/10) I was travelling on my scooter from Mapusa to Porvorim, when I encountered a traffic jam just before I reached the O'Coqueiroo restaurant. Nobody around me knew what was happening. Some thought it was a traffic accident, and somebody was killed. It was gridlock. Someone started moving the portable road dividers and flinging them around. I saw my opportunity to get out of the jam. Weaving my scooter between cars I crossed over through where the dividers were removed on to the other side of the road and made it out of the jam. It took me a while to get out of the congestion to get home. The persons who created the commotion were big burly guys, with our puny or potbellied police with their light bamboo sticks (if they had one) cowering in fear. When a female police officer came on the scene, one of the assailants unzipped his pants and XXXXXXX, causing her to hide her face and get away from the scene. It was chaotic. Some citizens berated the police for their inaction and wanted to take law in their own hands. The situation presumably escalated as the troublemakers got reinforcements from their friends. A friend called and told me to watch our local TV channel to see what was going on. It was an ugly scene.
This was an eyeopener for Goa and raised a number of issues. Foreigners, mostly from an African country come to Goa on fake or spurious student visas. Goans rent rooms to them, as they' apparently have loads of cash. Some of these folks are reputed to be involved in the drug trade. As the situation unfolded, the police either did not call for reinforcements or they did not get support. Our policemen are ill equipped to deal with a situation like this. I hope this is an eyeopener, for our politicians. As tourists pour into Goa we do not need episodes like this.
