Panaji, Oct 1 (IANS): Police officials will now visit homes of passport applicants for verification after Director General of Police Kishan Kumar Tuesday banned calling applicants to the police station for the process.

The order comes two days after several complaints were received by the regional passport officer during a public interaction, about harassment meted out by the police to passport applicants.

"The (office of the) Director General of Police, Goa has taken a serious view of this practice, and also violation of procedure in handling police verification process for issuance of passport," Kumar said in an official statement.

Kumar said concerned officers in plain-clothes will now first contact the passport applicant on phone, then seek an appointment for a meeting at their residence.

"It is for information of all concerned that henceforth officials of the CID centres will contact the passport applicant over telephone, to seek an appointment with him and visit the residence of the applicant for physical verification of address," Kumar said.