PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane said on Sunday that the Government would examine the possibility of having its own Police Act. It would include a provision for a Police Commissionerate to empower law-enforcing agencies to tackle law and order situations more effectively.

Briefing journalists after an informal meeting of the State Cabinet, which was specially convened on Sunday to review the events of the last two days, Mr. Rane said the Government would take a fresh look at, and, if need be, amend the Police Bill that has come back sans Presidential assent.

The Bill, based on the Singapore Police model, was passed by the State Assembly in 1996 during Mr. Rane's earlier term. However, the same could not become an Act as, according to Mr. Rane, "some people in the Central Government then thought that the Bill would give too much power to the police." He also spoke of plans to increase the strength of the State police.

Mr. Rane said the situation in the riot-torn Curchorem-Sanvordem areas of South Goa had returned to normal since the deployment of two companies each of the Rapid Action Force and Central Reserve Police Force on Sunday. He sought to re-assure the people that the events of the last two days would not be repeated.

Violence erupted in the area when a huge crowd of the majority community tried to disrupt a rally organised by a minority community on Thursday at Sanvordem to protest against the damage to a disputed abandoned structure on Wednesday night.

Replying to a question, Mr. Rane said the violence was "instigated" and a "planned attack." Describing the episode as a "political game," Mr. Rane said he saw an agenda by the Opposition whose politics was not "pro-people and pro-development like the ruling Congress." He said the Government would compensate the minorities who lost property in the riots.

Promising action against guilty, Mr. Rane said the Government's priority was to restore peace. He denied that the police were found wanting in handling the situation. "We can come down heavily on rioters, but they were our own people, misguided by those who lead them, therefore, we had to observe restraint," he said.

Families evacuated

Around 100 families of the minority community were evacuated from Curchorem-Sanvordem, while 24 vehicles and shops and two petrol pumps were damaged in the two-day riots, Chief Secretary J.P. Singh said on Sunday.

The Chief Secretary said the Government continued to get messages from the minority community who said they felt threatened. Night patrolling has been started in areas where the minorities reside. Security has been beefed up in all places, he said.

The Chief Secretary will meet leaders of various communities on Monday to discuss measures to restore confidence among the people.

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