Rape in Delhi taxi, but Goa wakes up for scanning
PRAKASH KAMAT/THE HINDU, PANAJI | 12 December 2014 21:21 IST
The Goa police have undertaken extensive verification of the antecedents of taxi drivers in the State following the recent rape of a woman executive in Delhi allegedly by a taxi driver of international cab service Uber.
As there is no organised taxi service in this coastal tourist State, except for the recent women taxi service introduced by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation, the Police will obtain details of cabs and drivers from the State Transport Department which issues licences, Goa Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg told The Hindu on Thursday.
If any taxi driver is accused of criminal activities, then the report will be sent to the State government and the taxi driver will be put under surveillance.
He also said that as far as the popular rent-a-bike service available across the State, the police have begun collecting a comprehensive database from the Transport Department. The police also collects information from the operators of the service on a regular basis.
Mr. Garg also announced a number of measures that are being taken by the State police for the safety and security of women.
For instance, he announced at an International Human Rights Day function recently that the State police will impart basic self-defence training to girls at higher secondary and college level from next month, which should help them also while commuting in public vehicles.
Goa has around 5,500 taxies, of which nearly 5,000 are tourist taxies that are members of the South Goa Taxi Operators’ Association and the North Goa Taxi Operators’ Association (NGTOA).
Around 500 black and yellow cabs are also in the unorganised sector, operating across the taxi stands in the State.
Welcoming the police initiative to prepare a database of cab operators, vice president of the NGTOA, Ravindra Vengurlekar, told The Hindu on Friday that it will further help the associations to keep their members on alert and curb any stray activities which can mar the reputation of taxi operators in Goa.
As for the associations, he said both are quite active and ensure that any operator found to have indulged in any unfair practices, including straying into the business of drugs or helping prostitution rackets, are immediately investigated and suspended from the association.
“We are for clean business and fair reputation for our profession. Therefore, I welcome the initiative of the police in this regard,” said Mr. Vengurlekar.
One rape incident in Delhi. And a sudden realization that our sisters are not safe only in taxis. Humorous? Tragic? Or ridiculous? Our womanfolk are feeling insecure everywhere right from their own homes to schools, coleges, workplace, buses, hospitals, everywhere and anywhere. This is a symptom of decadent society.