Says stern action should be initiated against personnel found drunk on duty
KOHIMA, MARCH 24: Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton today directed retrieval of the 3000 police personnel attached as bodyguards within two months and also to take stern action against any personnel found in inebriated condition on duty.
The Deputy Chief Minister gave the directive during the Nagaland Police Senior Officers and Unit Commanders meeting held in presence of DGP Rupin Sharma and Additional DGPs Sandeep Tamgadge and RP Kikon at Police Headquarters Conference Hall, Kohima, after taking over the Department for the third time.
Patton’s action comes within a day of NPF MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu raising concerns in the Assembly about Nagaland Police personnel being reduced to static duty while also questioning how those not entitled, including Principal Secretary, Commissioner Secretary and leaders of political parties, are moving around with bodyguards.
Observing that almost 3000 personnel of Nagaland Police are attached either as bodyguards or for non-Police duties, Patton said there is an urgent requirement to minimize such deployments and attachments so that more manpower is available for policing and law and order works.
Patton directed that this should be done within two months’ time.
Asked on how the Department would recall the 3000 personnel deployed as bodyguards, he said that the security examination committee, headed by Home Commissioner, would do the needful.
Also pointing out that police personnel are the eyes and ears of the Department and the guardian of the citizens in terms of safety and security, he said people have high expectations of them ~ that in their presence the citizens are safe and can live in a peaceful atmosphere.
However, Patton lamented that many police personnel are noticed to be under the influence of alcohol or drug abuse belittling or damaging the Department’s image as a whole.
“This kind of misconduct or indisciplined behavior of the personnel should be checked sternly and necessary punitive action be taken”, he said.
As a start to check such measures, Patton administered an anti-narcotic pledge to the Police personnel not to engage in the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transportation and consumption of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
On the recently concluded State general election, the Deputy CM said it was largely peaceful during the entire process from January to March, except for some stray incidents of poll-related violence. He also lauded the Police Department for continuing to maintain vigil and effectively tackling post-poll complaints also.
He said the new Government has assumed office and this tenure is likely to witness the proposed elections to the Urban Local Bodies, G-20 Summit and a possible solution to the Naga Political issue among other things.
In this connection, he said the State particularly the Police Department has to prepare itself for dealing with any situation which may develop during or after the events which are expected to happen.
Also stating that there is a feeling that IRB jawans are probably over used, overworked and fatigued, the Deputy CM asked the Police Department to urgently devise a mechanism to reduce work-related stress and exhaustion of IRB personnel.
After the unfortunate incident at Oting in Mon district, the Committee set up by MHA reviewed the AFSPA, had lifted it from 15 Police Stations in Nagaland putting the primary role of maintaining law and order and tackling of insurgents on the shoulders of the State Police.
As things continue to unfold and improve, with decreased factional violence, more Police Station areas can be expected to be removed from the application of AFSPA and Disturbed Areas placing additional burden and responsibility on Nagaland Police, he said.
On the other hand, he said the removal of AFSPA would mean curtailment of resources and fund allocation to Nagaland Police under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) schemes of Government of India and the State may have to shoulder additional responsibilities, with slightly diminished resources.
Expressing that Nagaland Police has grown from 1000 people in 1980s to about 26,000 in 2023, he said there is an urgent need to improve the efficiency of the Department, which can be done by re-organization and restructuring the Police Force so that better and optimal utilization of manpower and resources can be undertaken.
Saying that the quality and thoroughness of investigation and investigation work need an immediate upgrade, he said while training, training facilities and manpower deployment are important, provision of adequate funds for training within the State and also in specialized training institutes throughout the country are important.
Additional budgetary provision for purchase of logistics and equipment for investigation work is also required, he said.
He also asked the DGP and PHQ to come up with feasible and workable proposals for availing funds for Forensic Science Laboratory for the State and also to tackle new age crimes like Cybercrimes, Cyber frauds, economic offences and breaches of cyber security as such crimes have inter-State and international ramifications and origins.
On changing the uniform of the State Police, Patton requested the Department to wait till such time the ‘One Nation, One Uniform’ for the police mooted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is put in place.
(Page News Service)
