Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 10 2009:
Following the decision of the SPF Cabinet to deploy police commandos in the hill districts to help control the law and order situation, the Government has started the process of opening a post of the crack police unit in Ukhrul district, besides deploying one company of the IRB at Senapati district.
The crack police commandos were earlier only deployed in the four districts of the valley at Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur.
The State Cabinet had during a meeting last month decided to deploy police commandos in the hill districts and accordingly it was also decided to recruit 1600 more personnel for the same.
Consequently a commando post and an IRB post were opened at Ukhrul and Senapati respectively.
Speaking to The Sangai Express a top police official said that the commando post opened at Ukhrul will have the strength of one company.
The police commandos at Ukhrul will be deployed for counter-insurgency operation as well as for area domination, said the police official.
Stating that some policemen currently on duty at Ukhrul will be shifted to Imphal the official said that some police commandos have already been deployed at Ukhrul to carry out their duties.
In Senapati district one company of the IRB has already been deployed and they are now put on active duty, said the official further.
The IRB company has replaced the 5 Manipur Rifles to assist the district police in the maintenance of law and order.
The move to deploy police commandos and IRB in the hill districts was adopted to start the process of gradually replacing the Assam Rifles and the Army in the hill districts in counter-insurgency operations.
Apart from recruiting 1600 fresh police commandos, the SPF Cabinet had also decided to recruit 600 Manipur Rifles personnel as well as 1200 personnel for the Reserve police.