THE KASHYAPS – THE MOST TALKED ABOUT IPS OFFICERS IN GOA

The Kashyaps are the most talked about couple in the town today. Both being the batch mate of the Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad 2009 batch and have been posted in Goa in the year 2013 by the Ministry of Home Affairs Delhi. Priyanka and Karthik Kashyap, the duo Superintendent of Police have been in Goa for three years and they have been now transferred to Delhi. Although their transfer has been already finalised but they are still holding the charge till the BRICS summit gets over and will be in Goa until the end of October. Incredible Goa team meet the Goa’s most talked about a couple from the Indian Police Services (IPS) to find out about their experience and journey in Goa.

The Kashyap couple has always been in the news from the time they were transferred into Goa and the reason behind this is their working style which always remains the most stunning. It won’t be exaggeration If I say that Goa never had a lady SP like Ms. Priyanka Kashyap who handled the most serious situation with complete efficiency. Priyanka Kashyap who was appointed as North Goa SP was instrumental in handling many cases including the Nigerian Mob case wherein the hundreds of Nigerians staying in Goa had blocked the national highway in the year 2013. It was the biggest challenge in front of her since she was just taken over the responsibility of North Goa SP then. But the way she tackled the situation was most commendable. 

When I asked Mr. Karthik Kashyap about the reason behind the transfer from Goa he said it’s just a routine process which takes place every three years. “We are IPS officers and every once in three years we have to face that. Since we have already completed our tenure here in Goa we asked for the transfer and since we have not done any tenure in Delhi it is very important for us to do the same. Although we are really feeling very sad to leave such a beautiful place but the professional compulsions sometimes force you and you cannot help it,” said Karthik.

My next question was for Ms. Priyanka Kashyap who is been in the news more than Mr. Kashyap. I asked her for the reason behind her transfer from the post of North Goa SP to ATS (Anti-Terror Squad) special branch and she was also handed over the responsibility of state police control room she said that it was Government’s decision and she has nothing much to say in this. “It was the government’s decision and I have nothing to say about this,” said Priyanka Kashyap.

Ms. Priyanka also said that she always wanted to work despite the fact that they were planning a family. “A pregnant woman is not sick. She is ready to work and the pregnancy should not come in the way of the career,” said Priyanka Kashyap. She was referring to the media reports that made the headlines after her transfer from SP North to ATS and Police control Room. The reports mention that she was transferred to ATS and given the charge of police control room since she was sick. The chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the media (Times of India) that she is on medical leave since she is unwell.

Ms. Priyanka Kashyap was in news for commenting on the legalization of the prosecution in the India. In one of the interactive session of Rotary Club which was covered by the Prudent Media, Ms. Priyanka had said that she is in favour of legalisation of the prostitution in India to which Mr. Karthik corrected saying that her opinion is purely personal and not as an SP North that spread the laughter in the auditorium.  When I asked Priyanka about the news that appeared in the media mentioning that she was in favour of legalising the prostitution in India  she said that it was taken out of content. “It was a misinterpretation on the part of media and I never meant that at all,” she said.

When I asked the Kashyap couple about their experience in Goa for the past three years they said that they really had a very good time during their tenure in Goa. “Goans have welcomed us and we both had very pleasant experience personally as well as professionally. Our tenure was very stable here,” said Mr. Karthik Kashyap adding that “Not many people are lucky enough to be in particular position for as long as we did which helped us to put things in order and institutionalise certain things in my unit which I was handling and the results were very good compared to previous years that I had taken up whether it is my tenure in ANC (anti-narcotic cell) or Crime Branch, very clearly it has been a satisfactory tenure in Goa. I would like to thank the Government and the senior officer here for their kind advice, guidance and their support in Goa.”

Goa is always been the best place in India and crime rate is lowest in Goa compared to the other states in India and my next question was based on this fact to which the IPS officer and dynamic lady Priyanka replied very nicely. “All the credit goes to the people of Goa who makes this state so beautiful,” she said adding that “People of Goa are the peace-loving and highly law abiding and hence the entire credit goes to the Goans.”

There is not doubt that Goa is the beautiful tiniest peaceful state in India and people of Goa always prefer to live in peace and harmony but in the recent times the crime rate is going up and with the increase in crime the Goa is also becoming like other states. When I asked Mr. Karthik is the Goa is going in the similar direction as the other states like Delhi and whether the interference of the politician is increasing in the police matters, he said that he completely disagree to the same. “I don’t agree with this. It is a wrong perception that the media and the general public has. The government has always given a free hand to us to function within the purview of the law and I can assure you from our personal experience that till date nobody has told me what to do and what not to do just do what the law says. This is the only message that we follow.”

Another case that brought the IPS officer into the limelight was the protest of fisherman against the LED fishing which turned violent and Mr. Kashyap had to order for the Lathi-Charge to disperse the violent crowd. Most of the news media next day blamed Mr. Kashyap for the act of lathi-charge and demanded his transfer. But the truth was completely different, according to Mr. Kashyap the mob was taking undue advantage of the situation and abusing the police personnel who were doing their duty. “They basically wanted a ban on LED fishing and their demands were already met but they still blocked the roads for almost two days. They were going against the government order. As per the directions of the government, you are supposed to protest in Azad Maidan- Panjim or in Campal and not anywhere else. Secondly, they were not peaceful at all, they manhandled police force and they obstructed government servants. I was called at that moment and after seeing all that I took the right decision. As per the authority is given to me under section 129 of CrPC, I am allowed to take such decisions and it was not a Lathi-charge as such, the orders were just to disperse the crowd.

Mr. Kashyap was handed over the responsibility of ANC (Anti Narcotic Cell) initially but later he was transferred to Crime Branch where he solved many cases using his most advanced technics. The most controversial case he handled so far being in the crime branch was the Babush Monserrate Case. When I asked him about that case and if he has to face any political interference in this, he said that nothing of that sort was there and he handled the case with complete independence and within the purview of law. “I made sure that within the 24 hours of the registration of the FIR the accused has surrendered and for us, it does not matter whosoever it is. We have done our job within the limits of the law and truth was brought out and the case is still under process.”

The Kashyap’s are leaving Goa since their transfer order is already on the table but according to Ms. Priyanka Kashyap, they will be in Goa until the end of BRICS. “Since we were instrumental in all the arrangements of the BRICS right from the inception and the main event is just one week away we cannot leave in the middle of it. The preparations for the BRICS has started around four months back and as we were involved in the preparations, it is not possible for anyone to relieve us.  We were the venue commanders at a very initial stage so all the security arrangements we have planned from the scratch so obviously if someone else come and handles it will not be very comfortable,” said Ms. Priyanka Kashyap adding that “It would be our pleasure to come back to Goa if time and situation permits. It is a place where we get both personal and professional satisfaction so definitely, will want to come back.”

According to the sources from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the place of Kashyaps will be filled by the two new IPS officers from Delhi. The MHA has transferred 2010 IPS batch officer Sagar Singh Kalsi and 2012 batch IPS officer Devesh Kumar Mahia to Goa from Delhi.Government officers said that the Kashyap couple had made a representation to the MHA, requesting an immediate transfer from Goa. A V Sharma Reddy, director (service) MHA, who has issued the order said that the concerned government department is requested to relieve the officers within 15 days from the date of issuing the order.