PANAJI: Nobody really loves the sight of a policeman out on the streets during a lockdown . Videos of police thrashing violators have gone viral and the men in khaki have been criticised for their high-handedness.In Goa now, videos of police ‘action’ have been few and far between. Instead, viral videos have all been of police using their singing skills and not the lathi to keep people indoors.It all started with DySP Sammy Tavares releasing an audio song on coronavirus and then police sub-inspector Diego Gracias picked up the mike to entertain the public in Vasco. The roadshows got wide acclaim and soon enough Goa police swung into action.“Keeping in view the ethos of art, culture and music in the state, Goa police decided to rope in artistically inclined officers to write, compose and sing songs indicative of staying indoors due to Covid-19 . This really caught everyone’s imagination,” said IGPJaspal Singh.Goa police was heavily criticised for their handling of the lockdown during the early days. When the lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, Goa police started punishing people, if they were found on the road without any reason.Essentials were in short supply, so people were forced to move out of their homes. But instead of sympathy, everyone got a lathi.The situation became worse when the state government deployed Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to make sure that nobody ventures out of their houses.Soon enough, social activists approached the Goa Human Right Commission (GHRC) to point out how paramilitary forces punished people on the streets.It was then that the Goa police changed its strategy. The lathis were kept inside, and instead microphones were out. Police personnel with singing abilities were handpicked to sing songs which made everyone listen with attention.“Not that we used force earlier, except an isolated instance of an officer using mild force on an errant youth. The same was resented by civil society as Goa is peace loving. Therefore, we thought of using persuasive methods to convey the message of social distancing and benefits of staying indoors,” said Singh.From deputy superintendents of police (DySPs) to police inspectors and sub inspectors all drive to a popular location in cities and villages and sing educative songs on coronavirus. Most of the songs are in Konkani and Hindi, while Kannada was also used to convince migrant population from Karnataka staying here.DySPs Uttam Raut Desai and Sammy Tavares, PIs Nilesh Rane and PI Sudesh Naik, PSI Diego Gracias, PCs Tukaram Naik and Rama Gawas and LPC Bhakti Devidas were some of the more popular names whose videos have since gone viral.Goa police even launched a video with a small skit written by DySP Edwin Colaco, requesting the public to stay at home to keep themselves, and their families, safe.“The initiative shows the humane side of Goa police. It’s easy to be cynical during these difficult days but this novel approach will help develop trust and build a rapport. This will benefit everyone, not just now, but even in the long run,” said Vishwanath Kamat Malyekar, a resident of Santa Cruz.