‘Consider army deployment in Garo hills’

SHILLONG, NOV 2: Meghalaya high court on Monday directed the union home ministry to consider deployment of army in the militancy-infested Garo hills in view of the deteriorating law and order situation.

In its order, the full bench comprising of the Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh, Justice TNK Singh and Justice SR Sen directed the Secretary of the Home Ministry and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to consider detailing army operation in Garo hills, a source privy to the hearing on Monday said.

The source also informed that the bench has also directed them to respond within two weeks times.

According to the source, the bench has taken serious cognizance on the deteriorating law and order situation in the five districts of Garo hills, which include regular kidnappings and killings.

“The court has also taken note of the recent incidents including the kidnapping and killing an Intelligence Bureau official, whose body was recovered from a jungle, and the kidnapping of a BDO of South Garo Hills,” the source stated.

The Block Development Officer (BDO) of Chokpot in South Garo hills Jude Rangku T Sangma was kidnapped while he was on his way to Tura, West Garo hills from Chokpot on October 27.

While army has not been deployed in Garo hills, the state is presently tackling the situation with the help of police personnel, COBRA, SWAT and battalion.

According to police sources, the Army deployed in Goalpara, Assam can launch operation only 20 kilometers into Meghalaya and not beyond that.

Meanwhile, the state police have sought time for filing of affidavit pertaining to utilization of the fund sanctioned by the centre on modernization of the police organization in the state, the source said.

During the hearing, the court was informed that Meghalaya in the last five years have received Rs 32 crore for mordernization of police organization.

The source said the scheme was not utilize for anti-insurgency operation but for other branches including Special Branch, CID, Home Guards etc.- By Our Reporter