from Daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Mar 15: Kashmiris who have set up their shops along the coastal belt will now come under strict surveillance of the police department who have teamed up with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in this job.

The action follows arrest of a Kashmir-based Tehreeq-ul-Mujahideen terrorist here on Friday. Police are stunned as he has revealed that he was in Goa for the last eight months. Investigations have also pinned down on certain locals, who helped him to stay in Goa.

Kashmiris have always run carpet and fake gems and jewellery business in this coastal state and are ostensibly found in the beach belt eyeing for foreigners as their customers.

"Police were always vigilant about their activities. But now we have more reason to sit up. We are not leaving anything to chance," stated superintendent of police (North) D K Sawant.

This is not for the first time that the state has been cautious about Kashmiris. Fifteen years back Benaulim village in the South Goa's coastal belt saw uprising against the Kashmiris who had begun to share tourism cake with the locals. The movement later died down and the number of Kashmiris remained increasing.

"There are around 2,000 Kashmiris staying in Goa who are mainly into the business. There are a few students and negligible are into the service," stated a government official.

The make-shift tent-like Kashmiri shops are dotting the roads leading to major beaches in Goa. Though they sell carpets and gems and jewellery, the eyebrows are raised on how come they manage to amass huge assets in the state with such a business.

"We always suspect that Kashmiris are into drug-peddling.. There are many cases which have proved that what we suspect is right," stated a policeofficial.

Now, they are also viewed from terrorism point of view as Tarique Batlo, who was arrested with RDX, hand grenades and detonator, is a kashmiri and was frequenting some Kashmiri shops in South Goa.

It's not just police but local panchayats too have pulled up their sleeves. ``We take details of kashmiris operating in state from the local panchayats," stated a police official.

Police during their drives till date have hardly come across any Kashmiri baddie except for the lone case in 2002. The suspected person was deported from Goa. After the recent incidents, Police are re-opening the file of 2002 and will review with the present context.