Panaji: In a powerful and revealing press conference, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa exposed what it termed a complete collapse of the state’s police communication infrastructure, raising serious questions about Goa’s law and order preparedness under the BJP-led government.
AAP demonstrated, in real-time, how emergency helplines and police station landlines across the state are non-functional. Multiple calls were made to 100, 112, Panjim Police Station, Canacona Police Station, and Curtorim Police Station using different phones and networks — and not a single call connected.
“This is not a political stunt, it’s a life-threatening situation. If citizens can’t reach the police during an emergency, the system has already failed,” said AAP Goa leader Francis Coelho, who led the demonstration in front of the media.
AAP also revealed that the contact information board at Panjim Police Station — which is supposed to display phone numbers of senior police officers — had been completely blanked out, reflecting a troubling lack of transparency and accountability within the police force.
“When even the police hide their own numbers, it shows that the system has been abandoned,” Coelho stated, highlighting how institutions like schools, colleges, churches, and temples are being handed these defunct landline numbers for emergencies — numbers that simply do not work.
Adding to the gravity of the issue, AAP pointed out that Goa’s 112 emergency helpline is frequently misrouted to Maharashtra, defeating the very purpose of a centralized emergency response service.
In a symbolic move during the conference, Coelho attempted to contact Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant on speakerphone. The call did not go through — the CM’s phone was switched off.
“The CM says crime is down because PCR calls are down. The truth is people have stopped calling because they can’t call. The system is broken, and today we proved it live in front of the media,” said AAP Goa.
AAP Goa’s Key Allegations:
• The BJP government is misleading the public by citing reduced PCR call data while the police communication system itself is defunct.
• The 112 helpline, meant for emergencies, is often routed to Maharashtra.
• Contact numbers of senior police officers have been deliberately removed from public display.
• Police landlines across Goa are non-functional — posing a serious risk to public safety.
• Even the Chief Minister is inaccessible during a public safety demonstration — a sign of administrative collapse.
AAP Goa’s Demands:
• Immediate restoration of all police landlines and internal communication systems.
• Fix the 112 helpline routing to ensure calls are handled within Goa.
• Reinstate transparency by publicly displaying the contact details of senior police officers.
• Conduct an independent audit of Goa’s law and order systems to assess actual preparedness.
AAP Goa has vowed to take this issue across the state, mobilizing public support to demand accountability. “The government spends crores on advertisements and optics, but basic emergency systems are failing. Goa deserves better. If a tragedy strikes tomorrow, there will be no help — only headlines,” the party warned.
