language local newspaper, who also manages a
newspaper agency in the region, was the force who
thwarted Police Sub Inspector Jivba Dalvi's likely
suspension after the latter had played 'funny' while
investigating a theft case. Incidentally, the
complainant in this case was Vithaldas Hegde, a popular
persona amongst journalists and policemen alike.

The Baina police outpost is one of the more lucrative
postings for police officers and a few select
journalists. Lucrative in terms of the hafta streaming
in from the bars and brothels in the area. A journalist
attached to Goa's largest-selling Marathi daily, did a
one-up on the police sub inspector in-charge posted
there. The journo 'enforced' a system where he would
collect a regular hafta from the Baina police outpost,
in return for blanking out any damaging news emanating
from Baina.

One more nugget about Baina: a few hard-core journos
based there have some commercial sex workers on call,
just the way some cops do. The second most assured
source of income for cops is the hafta from matka
agents. Here too a few journos have not lagged too far
behind. A long-standing correspondent for an
English-language newspaper, who has been mentioned
earlier in this chapter, runs two such gaddas located
opposite the Margao police station, where matka bets
are accepted, even amidst the worst of police
crack-downs on gambling outlets.

While writing this, I may appear to be very partial to
the Margao journos and cops. But reality is that the
place is just so colourful. Here's another one. A
journalist's spouse posted as a head constable at the
Margao police station is audacious enough to accepts
matka bets in the police station building.

QUOTE UNCOUTH: One of SP Shukla's latest pursuits is
philosophy. Once upon a time, it was English. A Deputy
Superintendent of Police never tires of this tale. Mr
Shukla, who loves positive interactions with the media
and issuing press notes, had just typed out one such
press note and called the DySP in. "Maine press note
draft kiya hai. Aap jara isme grammer bhar do" (I have
drafted a press note. Could you please fit the grammer in?)

chapter 20:
Of sports... and sports journalism

Cyril D'CunhaCyril D'Cunha is a figure hardly anybody in post-1961
Goa journalism would not know. While editors came and
went, he stayed on at the desk, at the Navhind Times --
and contributing to many outstation journals, as
outlined towards the end of thi