State police force without a head as Goa tackles peak tourist season

PANAJI: With Christmas and New Year fast approaching, the peak of the tourist season is not far, but the police force in the state is without a head. The post of the director general of police (DGP) has been lying vacant since the death of DGP Pranab Nanda.
It is for the first time that the police force in the state is functioning without a DGP, a senior government officer said.
Nanda died of cardiac arrest at his residence in Delhi on November 15. He had taken over as Goa’s DGP in March 2019.
In other states, the CMs can appoint the DGP for the state as they have their own police cadre, but in case of Goa, which is a part of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union territory (AGMUT), the authority to appoint the DGP is the Union home ministry (MHA).
A senior officer said the process for appointing a DGP and other IPS officers for the state is in the domain of MHA’s Joint Cadre Authority (JCA).
“Until and unless they meet and finalise the name of DGP, the post will continue to remain vacant,” the officer said.
The selection of a DGP is based on the IPS seniority list, which is with the MHA. The home ministry needs to hold a meeting of the JCA to finalise the same.
Asked whether the state government has written to the MHA requesting for a meeting of the JCA to appoint a new DGP for Goa, the officer said that the state government has not sent out any communication on this issue.
A senior police officer said that in other states even before the last rites are performed on the deceased serving DGP, the government appoints a new DGP.
“While the juniors are competent, the force requires an experienced officer to head it,” the officer said.
Since the DGP’s post is vacant, the police are not being able to take any major decision. A senior officer said the DGP gives direction to the force to formulate crime prevention strategy and also allocates cases to superintendents of police (SP) for investigation, if required. A DGP is essential as he ensures perspective planning for the force.