Attacks On North East People Draw Flaks From All Quarters
MHA asks Delhi Police for zero tolerance
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India

New Delhi, February 03 2014: The Centre on Monday directed Delhi Police to adopt zero tolerance approach in cases of attacks on people from northeast and asked it to strictly follow the guidelines in providing security to those hailing from the region.

At a high-level meeting, the Home Ministry directed Delhi Police to immediately register cases of atrocities on people of north-eastern region, launch probe upon receiving complaints and book the guilty.

Delhi Police was also asked to sensitise all police stations about the people of north-eastern region living in their respective jurisdiction and resolve their grievances.

This came in the wake of a series of attacks on people from the northeast in the national capital recently, including death of a student from Arunachal Pradesh allegedly after assault by a group of people in Lajpat Nagar.

Rahul Gandhi joining the protest

The Home Ministry reminded the city police about the four-page detailed guidelines it issued last year and asked it strictly adhere to them.

According to the guidelines, issued to all state chief secretaries and DGPs and Delhi Police Commissioner, the police forces were asked to increase visible security at places where the people of northeast study, work or reside, maintain utmost vigil in communal and hyper sensitive areas without giving any room for spreading of rumours inciting communal passion.

Monitoring of social networking sites on a daily basis for detection of malicious mails, assessment of the mood and temper of the people from northeastern states and their grievances on a regular basis.

The Home Ministry guidelines said an SP or a DCP should be designated as the nodal officer for interaction with representatives of the northeastern community for understanding their grievances, holding meetings once in two months with the students or residents from north-east and send minutes to the Additional Director General of Police or Commissioner of Police.

Police has been asked to encourage students and other people from the northeast to be present in regular meetings with residents welfare associations at police stations and district levels.

Beat officers and PCR staff deployed in areas in which there are pockets of citizens hailing from the northeast need to be sensitised properly by the SHO, a website under the name of police for northeast.com indicating the name of the state/UT/Metro cities need to be launched so that common people from the region can log in and put forth their grievances and suggestions.

The guidelines said an officer of the rank of ADGP or Joint Commissioner of Police may be designated to review the report of nodal officer on monthly basis regarding implementation of the said security plan.

The DGP or Commissioner of Police of the state or UT concerned may review security plan periodically, state governments or UTs may send quarterly report with regard to implementation of security plan to the Home Ministry regularly, it said.