Konkan Rly police steps up security

Margao: Anticipating large crowds for the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) and the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa, the Konkan Railway police have beefed up security arrangements at all the Konkan Railway stations in the state.
While patrolling points have been increased at the Margao railway station, more police personnel have been deployed at the station to ensure heightened surveillance, Konkan Railway police said.
“We surveyed the area in and around the Margao railway station following which more police constables have been deployed at strategic points at the station. They have been instructed to check suspicious movements. Due attention will be paid to the safety and security of travelling public,” Dy SP (Konkan Railway) Mohan Naik told TOI.
Sources said that the strength of the Konkan Railway station has been increased to 23 from the earlier 10. PI (Konkan Railway police) Santosh Dessai, said that police deployment has been done in such a way that at any given time 10 police personnel will be patrolling the Margao railway station.
“Apart from this, we have also allotted two more constables for the Tivim and Karmali railway stations. Besides, surveillance will be heightened at all smaller railway stations in Goa,” Dessai said.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is also geared up to meet security demands. “Patrolling will be intensified and necessary measures will be put in place,” RPF sources said.
Police sources admitted that screening of passengers and their luggage has its own limitations given that the Margao railway station has multiple entry and exit points.
“Screening of the passengers at the main entrance will be made more meticulous; however, it is not possible to man all entry and exit points as that would require deployment of a large number of police personnel. Those wanting to evade the police eye will obviously sneak in,” a senior police official said.