IMPHAL, February 26: The failure of the State Police force to be effective in the hill districts is due to lack of manpower, Home minister Gaikhangam told the House today.
He was clarifying to cut motions raised by Opposition MLAs during the discussion and voting on demand for grant of Police Department today.
In his reply, Gaikhangam pointed out that in the far flung areas of the hills, armed personnel cannot be posted in their respective stations. We need atleast 70-80 armed police personnel to check the anti-social elements; however, we have only a maximum of 20/30 armed personnel.
As a result, the State is using maximum service of Assam Rifles and Army in the hill areas in helping the district administration, he said.
The State government want to increase the State police force strength for which several recruitments are conducted, he said.
After the minimum requirement of police strength we will post the require police in the hills to maintain the law and order, he assured.
Replying to the question raised against the delay in declaration of results for police constable recruitment, he said more than 37/38 thousand candidates apply for the posts and the process is lengthy as the authorities have to conduct their verification and cross examination of the candidates and it takes time.
This had led to the excess of eligible candidates partaking in the physical test in a recent recruitment, he observed.
The department is already conducting a departmental enquiry on the issue and the report will be submitted to the government and actions will be taken against all individuals found guilty, he told the House.
Replying to a cut motion raised by Bishwajit on the failure of the police to take action in connection with the UNACO School firing incident and another at the residence of a BJP worker during the bye-election process, Gaikhangam said the police department is not weak, but there is still room for improvement.
It also has some black sheep among the present department, he added.
He said regarding the two incidents, the government will instruct the concerned authority to thoroughly investigate so as to bring the cases to their conclusions.
Gaikhangam also informed the House that the e-tender bidding for the installation of CCTV cameras in Imphal City and the Greater Imphal areas has already been conducted.
The head quarter of the 9th IRB and the Mahila Battalion is at Khuman Lampak, but the women personnel don’t want to stay there and are asking for transfer to police stations either in the hills or valley, he said.
Now, the strength of the battalion has been reduced to only 200 although it should have a maximum of 800 personnel, he added.
Being mild is not weakness, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam observed in reply to a cut motion raised on the Police demand by Congress MLA N Biren asking why the police were not sent to check the reported incident of Naga Students Federation volunteers seizing vehicle registration books of trucks during their ban on Meitei vehicles in Naga populated areas.
We are only doing everything to settle the matter and safeguard the integrity of the nation, he told the House.
Biren pointed out that the incident happened in Senapati district along the national highway and questioned as to how the government could allow the student body of another State to come inside the State and carry out unlawful activities.
Biren observed that the police are helpless in the hills as they are not empowered with adequate powers.
Citing the Aimol tribe problem in Chandel district, the MLA further asked as to why the government has failed to provide security to the community whose existence is threatened by a specific group.
Further Gaikhangam asked all the participant members of House to withdrawn their cut motion to pass the demand for grant.
