from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Nov 8: Goa police have detected serious security lapses during their surprise check at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Indian oil corporation (IOC) at port town of Vasco, 40 kms away from here, police stated.

“To check the security alertness at these installations we had sent a person with a pistol who managed to enter inside and came out without weapon on him undetected by guards there,” Shekhar Prabhudesai, superintendent of police (south), said.

The security alertness check was conducted considering that HPCL and IOC have their storage tanks in the port town. “HPCC has 10 tanks while IOC has 14 tanks storing highly volatile liquids like motor spirit and diesel. Any security threat to these tanks can create problem to the entire town,” Prabhudesai said.

Senior police officials in their meeting with the IOC and HPCL officials, last week, had asked to tighten the security around these vital installations. “Security of these installations is managed by respective companies by employing private security guards,” Prabhudesai stated.

Police in their operation to check alertness had sent a 24-year-old boy posing as a courier boy who went to the IOC and HPCL offices carrying a dummy pistol and returned unchecked by guards.

Police were more concerned about these tanks as a terrorist who was arrested in the state six months back, during the interrogation, had confessed to planning to blow up these tanks.

“We were shocked at such a security lapse… we are writing to the company officials and seniors briefing them about the operation,” Prabhudesai said.