Migrant labourers to blame for 90% crimes in Goa: CM Pramod Sawant

Goa DGP Jaspal Singh did not respond to a request from The Indian Express for comments on whether the police maintain data on crimes committed by migrant labourers or crimes as per domicile of the accused. A retired senior police officer, however, said no such record is maintained.

In his address, the Chief Minister said that two NGOs have been brought on board to ensure that all labourers are issued the cards. “The facilities shall be made available online soon,” he said.

Sawant said that once migrant labourers are registered with the labour department, the government will have a database of their respective addresses and it can help police to investigate or track any case if required. He said he has directed the Labour Commission to utilise welfare funds for the betterment and uplift of the labour community.

SHRAMGAURAV – ShramikMitra Awards 2023 | International Labour Day https://t.co/zP6ZMPCzxK

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) May 1, 2023

In March, after a 27-year-old employee of a resort, who hailed from Uttarakhand, was arrested for allegedly molesting and stabbing a Dutch woman tourist at a resort in North Goa, Sawant had instructed all hotels to obtain a “Goa labour card” for their staffers. He had also directed the hotels to do a thorough background check for any criminal antecedents before employing staff.

After two incidents of hotel staff attacking foreign nationals in Goa in March, state Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had said that police verification of workers at hotels and resorts, especially those employing people from outside the state, shall be conducted.

In the Prison Statistics India 2021 report, published by the National Crime Records Bureau, out of 70 convicts in Goa’s prisons as on December 31 that year, out of 70 convicts in Goa’s prisons, 43 belonged to the state, while 19 were from other states while 8 were foreign nationals.

According to the report, out of total 481 undertrials in Goa, 227 were from the state, 193 from other states and 61 were foreign nationals.