State forces for NH-53 mooted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 02 2010: Director General of Police (DGP), Yumnam Joykumar Singh has informed that deployment of State forces is being considered to provide security along National Highway 53 .

Talking to mediapersons in the office of Imphal West SP today, Joykumar said that understanding the importance of National Highway 53, steps are being taken up to deploy State forces including police, MR or IRB and VDF for the protection of the National Highway.

This would be in addition to the Paramilitary forces already being deployed.

There are some anti-social elements which are creating problems along this Highway specially in between Awang Khul and Tupul, the DGP said.

As of now, he further informed that a strength of around 70 to 80 personnel of State forces are being utilised for escorting goods laden trucks from Jiri to Imphal.

DGP top addressing the media and NH53 stretch

Over and above this, if there is report that vehicles would be coming to Imphal, IRB and Police Commandos are despatched from here to assist the convoy, the DGP said, adding that the security arrangement of the labourers working along this National Highway is also being taken care of.

In a response to a question from the side of mediapersons, Joykumar clarified that there is no question of giving up any attempt to arrest the presidents of UNC and ANSAM against whom the State Government had earlier announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh each to any person who help in arresting them in connection with imposition of economic blockade along the National Highways.

The DGP further informed that the conduct of the physical efficiency test (PET) for recruitment of SI/ASI in Manipur Police has been entrusted to BSF.

The State Police Department had been charged with taking money for allowing the candidates to pass in such physical and written tests in the past.

However, there is no truth in such charges.

Nonetheless, to ensure proper recruitment process and transparency, the task has been entrusted to BSF and instruction has been given that no local man who are personnel of this Paramilitary force be included in the conduct of PET, the DGP conveyed.

Cautioning the public against touts, the police officer said that the SP concerned of the district or himself should be contacted if any tout ask for money to ensure passing in the PET.

Such touts, even if they were found to be police personnel, would not be spared, the DGP stated firmly.

In response to another question, the DGP conveyed that the existing strength of State Police Department is around 28,000 personnel and if the new recruits were to be included then the total strength would come upto 33,000 .

The Department is to recruit 400 SI/ASI/Jamadar and 600 women personnel more and 1600 constable and drivers and 2500 Riflemen are currently being trained.

The optimum capacity of the Police Training School at Pangei is 15000 and at present a total of 4000 personnel are undergoing training there.

Initially, there was problem of accommodation and fooding but not now, the DGP said.

The DGP disclosed that in addition to the verification conducted by the State Police Department, efforts are also being made to rope in the service of an agency like IB to verify the antecedents of all the recruited personnel before confirming appointment.

Even if it may be time consuming, if all the police personnel including the newly recruits were proper arranged and managed, then the problem of law and order in the State could be contained easily, he observed, adding that this process may take at least one year.

The police chief contended that apart from some stray incidents of extortion and bomb and firing attacks in valley areas, the UGs have not been able to attack the security forces like earlier.