Imphal, May 02: The State Cabinet during a meeting held today with the Chief Minister in the chair has decided to accede to the demands of the Heirok and Chajing people to provide them guns after creating posts of Special Police Officers (SPOs).

The demands to issue guns to the people of Heirok and Chajing were raised following the slaying of three people and injuring another by opening fire by PREPAK cadres at a Thabal Chongba venue at Heirok and killing of a 53 year old man by KCP (MTF) at Chajing Konjeng Leikai.

A senior Cabinet Minister of the SPF Government informed The Sangai Express that provisions of guns to the people will be provided after creating the posts of SPOs as was done in Jammu and Kashmir.

After deliberating on the matter for about three hours, the State Cabinet adopted a concrete decision in this regard and resolved to activate SPOs from June 12 .

For Heirok, 300 SPOs will be recruited while Chajing will have 200 SPOs.

The SPOs will function under the State Police Department.

The SPOs should be natives of these villages and in case, these SPOs can function properly and serve its purpose effectively, they may be absorbed into Manipur Police Department, disclosed the Minister. Educational qualification of SPOs will be equivalent to those of Constables and they will receive monthly remuneration of Rs 3000 each.

Remuneration, ration and other facilities of the SPOs will be provided by the Central Government.

A board comprising of concerned SPs, IG and DIG will be recruiting SPOs within a week and they will be given appointment after seeking approval of the Government by the Deputy Commissioners concerned.

The SPOs will also be given basic training on using arms for a month, disclosed the Minister.

During the Cabinet meeting held today, the Police Housing Corporation has been entrusted to construct three barracks which can house 100 SPOs at three different places in Heirok and two barracks of same capacity in Chajing.

The SPOs who would be recruited under Police Act will be issued one .303 rifles each and motor cycles.

But the SPOs will not be allowed to venture out of their villages with guns, informed the Cabinet Minister adding that there is no specific working hours for the SPOs.

In case this pioneering initiative proves successful and if other villages wish to have SPOs in their area, the same initiative may be extended to other places of the State in phases.

DG Gopal Sharma of the Directorate of Assessment which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs has already a collected a detailed report on the State Government's initiative to issue guns to Heirok and Chajing people.

Moreover, North East Advisor of the Ministry of Home Affairs MB Kaushal and Joint Secretary Naveen Burmah have also arrived at Imphal today to discuss the State Government's initiative with top police officials of the State.

The Government has also taken up necessary steps to install solar lamps and mikes at suitable spots in Heirok and Chajing, informed another source.

The demand of the Heirok people to provide them guns and subsequent response of the State Government came in the aftermath of firing by PREPAK cadres at a Thabal Chongba venue at Heirok on March 24 in which Th Romesh, Th Premila and L Nirmala were killed.

The people of Chajing made a similar demand following the killing of Haorungbam Rabi (52) of Chajing Konjeng Leikai on April 23 by the KCP (MTF).

The State Cabinet held today has also decided to reward the police team led by SP Imphal East Th Radheshyam with Rs 10 lakhs for their successful operation in Mysore in which six PULF cadres including four top functionaries were arrested.

Review meet : A review meeting on the ongoing restoration and development works of Kangla was held today in the office of the Kangla Fort Board with Chief Minister O Ibobi and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Naveen Burmah.

The meeting also finalised the work programmes of the current financial year.

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