KIS, SANPO state stand on PS jurisdiction
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 26 2013:
Jurisdiction of any police outpost or police station which has been opened or would be opened under Imphal East District Police should not cover Saikul sub-division of Senapati, asserted the Kuki Inpi Saikul (KIS) and the Saikul Area Naga People's Organisation (SANPO) .
A memorandum highlighting the same position of the two civil organisations was submitted to the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Gaikhangam today.
Speaking to media persons about their position at Manipur Press club here this afternoon, KIS president Thangkam Lupheng alleged that initiatives to bring areas of Saikul under Imphal East District Police is driven by a hidden agenda masked under the name of law and order and security to encroach upon hill areas.
As per a notification issued by the Home Department on June 14, 2011, 35 villages of Saikul sub-division were brought under Sagolmang PS, 20 hill villages under Andro PS and another 34 villages belonging to Senapati and Ukhrul districts under Yaingangpokpi PS .
Thus all these villagers were brought under the jurisdiction of Imphal East District Police implying intrusion into the jurisdiction of Senapati District Police, Lupheng said.
Demanding immediate annulment of the Home Department's notification, Thangkam Lupheng said that if the Government desires to open police outposts or police stations at the said villages, people would not have any objection provided the newly opened police stations or police outposts are kept under Senapati District Police.
Intrusion into the police jurisdiction by one district into another would further compound the already existing controversies about overlapping district boundaries and concomitant problems.
Although Maphou PS is located within Senapati district, it is functioning under Imphal East District Police.
Urging that both Maphou PS and Purum Likli PS should be brought under Senapati District Police at the earliest, Thangkam Lupheng maintained that boundaries of districts and sub-divisions should not be disturbed in the name of law and order and security.
SANPO president Chance Raikhan conveyed that a memorandum highlighting all the points made by Thangkam Lupheng has been submitted to the Deputy Chief Minister.
In case no positive response is received by September 30, a big public meeting would be organised together with village chiefs and chalk out the next course of action, Raikhan said.