Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma on Friday demanded a comprehensive audit of police stations across the state, warning that the acute shortage of personnel and the government’s inaction have crippled law enforcement and emboldened criminal elements.
“Please do the auditing of all the police stations across the state — how many posts are vacant? That itself becomes a natural constraint for the police organisation which otherwise is efficient and capable of delivery,” Dr. Sangma said.
Expressing grave concern over the rising lawlessness in Meghalaya, he said, “Let us look at this problem as a problem which has to be understood from a broader perspective, and that is exactly what the government is also expected to do. They have to have a complete understanding about the complexity of any problem connected with lawlessness.”
Referring to recent crimes involving children, including cases of disappearance and murder, he said, “This kind of crime against children has been unseen and unheard in the past in as far as my Meghalaya is concerned. I must convey my deepest condolences to the members of the family of the victim.”
Dr. Sangma said the state’s peace cannot be defined merely by the “absence of militancy,” adding that “petty criminal activities provide a breeding ground for larger criminal activities to ultimately warm and challenge the society — and that is exactly what is happening today.”
Citing incidents of theft and cattle lifting across Khasi and Garo Hills, he recounted a case between Dudnai and Dambra where a vehicle carrying stolen cattle was discovered only after an accident. “This is happening on a regular basis,” he said, urging the government to “have serious engagement with affected people” and “pursue these incidents of petty crimes in the right earnest.”
He accused the government of neglecting law enforcement by leaving police posts vacant. “In this prevailing situation, when many of the posts are vacant and not filled up, what does it indicate about the intent of the government? To ultimately cripple the police organisation by not filling up the vacancies?” he questioned.
Dr. Sangma further alleged, “Are they trying to save the money which would have otherwise gone to the payment of salaries to these members of the police organisation? Is the greed factor preventing them from filling up these posts?”
Recalling his tenure as Chief Minister, he said the Safe and Secure City projects in Shillong and Tura were initiated to strengthen law and order. “Forget about amplifying, all these CCTVs and infrastructure which we created have disappeared over a period of time. Was it intentionally done in order to enable some of the criminal activities to take place and go unnoticed by the authorities?” he asked.
Referring to the Meghalaya Resident Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), Dr. Sangma said, “Have they created that whole ecosystem for society and the community to be actively involved and be part of the system? No, they haven’t. They have rather weakened the mandate of the law.”
Emphasising the need for a holistic approach, he said, “You will have to look at this whole thing from a broader perspective. It is not just one intervention that can find the solution or create a deterrence.”
Warning that the situation could worsen if vacancies remain unfilled, Dr. Sangma concluded, “The state is bound to face more and more problems in the years to come. This is complete evidence of their lack of concern and insensitivity towards the responsibility vested upon them.”
