Give credit where it is due: VDF personnel
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 28 2021:
All Manipur VDF Welfare Association Central Committee and Imphal West District VDF Welfare Association have urged officers of the State police to immediately stop mistreating Village Defence Force (VDF) personnel for personal benefits.
Narrating the incident of June 26 last where a team of Wangoi police seized over 7 kilogram of heroin from one H Nanda Kumar (30) while on duty at Hiyangthang, the two associations in a press release claimed that the heroin was seized by one of the three VDF personnel who was a part of the team.
Saying that Nanda Kumar requested the VDF personnel to release him in exchange for Rs 5 lakh, the associations claimed that the VDF personnel refused the offer and apprised the finding to the team leader.
Nanda Kumar was then brought to Wangoi police station, it said and added that the VDF personnel, however, were not given any credit for their work.
"Apart from not allowing take part in the photo session in front of the media, the VDF personnel were also humiliated by certain police officers who had nothing to do with the seizure just to take credit," the VDF association charged.
The photo session was re-arranged after a VDF association communicated with the police officers concerned.
However, the photo with VDF personnel was not submitted to the media, it alleged.
Stating that certain police officers using VDF personnel on vested interest such as to win Gallantry Award is rather disappointing and this must be stopped forthwith, the VDF associations reminded that one police officer of the same station was put on suspension three years back for physically assaulting a VDF personnel.
This is not the first time that such an incident occurred, it said and added that there were also instances of police officers taking credit from the contribution of VDF such as in blood donation camps and blaming VDF for the fault of the commanders (police personnel leading a drive or operation) on duty.
Asserting that they now fear that the police officer might even go to the extent of killing a VDF personnel for promotion or some benefits, the release maintained that a memorandum along with photos and video records of the incident will be submitted to the Chief Minister and the authorities concerned to take action against the 'erring' police officer.
If the Government and the authorities fail to take action, the association will approach a law Court, it cautioned.