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Goa police’s anti-terrorist squad struggling with rickety vehicles | Goa News – Times of India

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The ATS’ current crop pf vehicles are known for frequently breaking down due to their advanced age

PANAJI: Goa police’s anti-terrorist squad (ATS) appears ill-equipped to deal with the frequent alerts the state receives, as its vehicles — five ramshackled jeeps that break down regularly — are barely enough to take on the increasingly well-equipped terrorists should they decide to strike in Goa.
A source told TOI that ATS has been sending proposals for replacement of old vehicles to Goa police, but there doesn’t seem to be any progress in the matter.
Two of the jeeps are two decades old, and two others are around 10 years old.
The four patrol Margao, Vasco, Panaji and Mapusa. Superintendent of police (SP) Bossuet Silva, who is in charge of motor transport, said, “Goa police is in process of allotting new vehicles to the ATS”.
The vehicle that patrols Margao has an area up to Canacona within its jurisdiction, and the Mapusa vehicle takes care of the North Goa coastal belt, right up to Pernem.
The Panaji vehicle looks after an area up to Ponda, while the Vasco jeep patrols the Mormugao taluka.
Police said that other vehicles purchased along with these ATS vehicles have been scrapped, but the squad continues to use these vehicles.
“Today (on Saturday), one vehicle broke down in Verna,” a source said, adding that these incidents happen every couple of days, leading to embarrassment to the commandos.
Pointing out that Goa receives frequent terror alerts as it is an international tourist destination, sources said that in case of an untoward incident, it’s unlikely an old ATS vehicle will make it to the spot without it breaking down.
Goa police has recently added new vehicles to its fleet, but not a single one was allotted to the ATS.
Some ATS staff use their own vehicles for beat patrolling and later claim reimbursement, a source said. ATS conducts beat patrolling at Canacona, Quepem, Colva, Margao, Vasco, Panaji, Calangute, Mapusa, Pernem, Bicholim and Ponda.
The state government formed a quick reaction team in 2009, and later, in 2014, the state constituted an ATS to investigate terror-related cases, with a sanctioned strength of 102 personnel. At present, the ATS has around 150 personnel.
The ATS is headed by superintendent of police (SP) Shobhit Saxena and deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Sandesh Chodankar. It has two police inspectors and seven police sub-inspectors.
Cases probed by the ATS include terrorist activities, offences against the state, activities of gangsters, smugglers, gun runners, mafia, counterfeiters and narcotics smugglers, offences prejudicial to national security, etc.

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Broke Swiggy guy walks 3 km to deliver food, Social media helps him find better job. Heartwarming story is viral

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Social media can be a wondrous place at times. While on most days, its ugly face is on display, on days like today, it sets examples of the power of kindness. In a social media post, a LinkedIn user shared how a delivery executive, in need of money and a better job, bagged one after the users on the platform came together to help the person out.

Priyanshi Chandel, Marketing Manager at tech company Flash, shared an incident about a Swiggy delivery agent who had come to deliver food at her residence. When she asked the late and out-of-breath delivery person, identified by her as Sahil Singh, about what happened, he told her that he had no transport and had to walk 3 km to deliver the order.

He also said that he was out of money and had nothing left to pay his landlord too. Singh told her that he was not looking for money from her but requested her to help him bag a job. He said that he had a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering, and had worked with Byju’s and Ninjacart before. He had to move back to Jammu during the pandemic.

“I have not eaten for a week, just drinking water and tea to get by. I am not asking for anything, please if you can find me a job, I used to make 25k before, I am 30 years old, my parents are getting old and I can’t keep asking for money from them (sic),” Chandel quoted saying.

She also shared his marksheets and contact number for people to help. His details shared show that he is a 2018 BTech graduate from Mewar University, and completed his schooling from the Jammu and Kashmir state board.

After she shared the details, the comments section was filled with people who stepped up to help. While someone recharged his Yulu account so that he did not have to walk around to deliver food, someone offered a place to stay. Many offered to help him with his applications, while some offered jobs too.

Chandel, later on put an update on the post, and said that he received a job.

However, so far it is unclear what job he has received.

2023 has so far been a year of job losses, an eventual outcome of the pandemic and increased hiring by tech companies. For instance, the SSC MTS 2023 recruitment exam that took place in Uttar Pradesh in May saw over 55 lakh applications for Group D jobs. Numerous candidates who applied for positions such as peon, watchman, gardener had educational backgrounds like BTech, MBA, and Master’s degrees.

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Goa CM, NRI Commissioner writes to MoEF for help in safe return of Goans from Ukraine

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Panaji: Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to help in safe return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

Sawant tweeted “we are concerned about the Goans in Ukraine who are considering to return to India in the light of ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis. I request Union Minister for External Affairs @DrSJaishankar ji for help in the safe return of Goans. I am keeping track of the situation.”

The chief minister’s tweet comes hours after Goa’s NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar wrote to the Union External Affairs ministry seeking help in return of Goans who are in the Ukraine.

“Many Goans are currently residing in Ukraine due to various purposes including higher studies and due to the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, I have started receiving requests for help and assistance from them to return back to India,” Sawaikar wrote.

The Commissioner further wrote in the letter that advisories have already been issued by the Ministery of External Affairs to Indians currently in Ukraine and our Indian Mission in Kyiy is currently handling the matter.

“Striking note of urgency, the Government of India has recently asked the family members of Embassy officials in Ukraine as well as students and citizens whose stay is not vital , to leave the Eastern European nation amid it’s raising tensions with Russia,” the letter reads.

Sawaikar wrote that the Goans in Ukraine are in touch with this office as they are anxious to temporarily return till the situation normalizes.

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Election Commission announces polling dates and counting days for Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 states

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On Saturday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Vidhan Sabha elections in 5 States, namely, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

While briefing the media, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra informed that the elections in the poll-bound States will commence from February 10, 2022, to March 7, 2022. Elections in the State of Uttar Pradesh will be conducted in 7 phases, followed by Manipur with 2 phases. Elections in Goa, Uttarkhand and Punjab will be conducted in a single phase.

According to the Election Commission of India, the votes will be counted on March 10, 2022. ECI informed that all physical campaigning will be ceased until January 15, 2022, in light of the rising cases of Coronavirus.

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