GUWAHATI: The police forces of various states of the Northeast region may soon coalesce under an umbrella organisation to improve coordination and efficiency.
A suggestion in this regard was reportedly made by Assam’s director general of police (DGP), Mukesh Sahay, at the 24th conference of director generals (DGs) and inspector generals (IGs) of police of the Northeast region held in Guwahati on Thursday. It was attended by Satyendra Garg, a joint secretary (Northeast) in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Sahay said if the militants can have an umbrella organisation, the police too can have it. He said it would ensure better coordination among the police forces of the Northeast region. All DGs and IGs reportedly endorsed the idea. Also, the joint secretary (MHA) expressed no reservations, sources told the New Indian Express.
Currently, there are two umbrella organisations of the militants in the Northeast - both operating out of Myanmar. The United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) is a united front of rebel groups such as the S S Khaplang faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN-K, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and People’s Liberation Army of Manipur or PLA. The other is Coordination Committee or CorCom, which comprises some insurgent groups of Manipur.
Also, there were demands for special counter-insurgency training for the police force. Director General of Assam Rifles, Shokin Chauhan said the training could be imparted at the Assam Rifles Training Centre in Nagaland’s Dimapur.
There were also suggestions that the India-Myanmar border be completely fenced to thwart the cross-border movement of militants. However, Garg expressed his reservations on its practicality. “Difficult terrains and common ethnicity on either side of the border,” would make it difficult, he said.
Garg, however, promised to consider the DGs demand for modernisation of the police force.