Most crimes in Goa done by ‘people from outside state’, says CM Pramod Sawant weeks after similar remark triggered outrage

Earlier at a labour day programme on May 1, Sawant had said that maximum crimes in Goa are committed by migrant labourers, and appealed to contractors and employers to obtain a labour card before engaging them for work.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. (File)

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Over a month after his remark that migrant labourers are responsible for 90 per cent of the crimes in Goa triggered outrage, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Thursday said most crimes in Goa are committed by “people coming from outside the state”.

Speaking at the inauguration of a police station in Mardol Thursday evening, the chief minister said, “An analysis of crime shows that a majority of Goans are involved in property disputes in the family or other family feuds. One or two Goans may be involved in assault cases resulting from these property-related disputes, but usually they are not involved in murders.”

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He added that people accused of crimes in other states come to Goa, stay on rented property and commit crimes.

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Sawant also appealed to the people to take up the responsibility of curbing crime by carrying out timely tenant verification. Hailing some initiatives undertaken by the state police for senior citizens as well as community outreach programmes, he said the police now have a public-friendly image. “Goa has the highest crime detection rate in the country,” the BJP leader added.

Earlier at a labour day programme on May 1, Sawant had said that maximum crimes in Goa are committed by migrant labourers, and appealed to contractors and employers to obtain a labour card before engaging them for work.

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“Every migrant labourer working in Goa should possess a labour card. We promised this in the Budget…about providing labour cards. After committing a crime here, migrant labourers return to their state and it becomes difficult to catch them. If we see the ratio…maximum…90% of the crimes in Goa are done by migrant labourers, be it from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or from other areas. I am not going into details of that,” he had said. Sawant had later claimed that his speech was twisted by some political leaders.

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