By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Crime against women taking place within the families in matrilineal Meghalaya has baffled outgoing DGP N Ramachandran.
The DGP, who retired on Wednesday, expressed concern over the rise in crime against women in the State, saying that it is baffling to see that there are large number of cases related to crime against women especially rape taking place with the families.
“We have tried to investigate on the factors which have led to the rise in crime against women in the State. During the course of the investigation, we found out that a large number of rapes cases which have taken place are within the families,” the outgoing DGP said.
To tackle this menace, he said that the State Police is encouraging women to join the police force.
“With the entry of more women into the force, we would be able to handle this menace in a more effective way,” Ramachandran said.
He also informed that the police have kept a special reservation quota for women while filling up various vacancies.
‘Transparent recruitment to improve performance’
Ramachandran, who served as the State DGP for 13 months, pointed out that professionalism in the State Police could be brought about through focus on the right kind of recruitment process and the right kind of training to prepare the police personnel to handle the various challenges.
“With the approval of the State Government, the transparent recruitment policy will ensure that there is no possibility of corruption or nepotism and the truly deserving candidates get selected to join the police,” Ramachandran said.
The outgoing police chief, who was addressing a gathering at the farewell parade organized by the State Police at the Police Training School (PTS) at Mawroh here on Wednesday, called upon his colleagues to ensure that the recruitment process takes place in an absolutely transparent manner.
“We have already succeeded in recruiting 117 Sub-Inspectors in a transparent manner and these men and women are undergoing training at the Haryana Police Academy,” he said adding that the process has already started for recruiting nearly 2000 police personnel in the State Police.
Ramachandran further informed that the State Police is in the process of setting up a modern police academy for which the 13th Finance Commission has granted Rs 50 crore.
“The academy will be set up as an institution of excellence in police training and there is a need to ensure that this institution is carefully nurtured to meet the training requirements of the police personnel,” he added.
Narrating his experiences as the Meghalaya police chief, Ramachandran said most of the energies and efforts had been focused on Garo Hills which has been reeling under militancy.
“We were able to accomplish a few things and most of the efforts were focused on Garo Hills and towards building up the capabilities of the police for fighting militancy and terrorism,” Ramachandran said.
Narrating some of the achievements during his tenure, Ramachandran said the police have been able to fully and effectively revamp the State intelligence and security machinery to deal with militancy. “We are far more confident today,” he added.
He also mentioned that the State Police have also strengthened the SWAT wing.
He had lot of praise for the SWAT team and the CoBRA unit of the CRPF which are engaged in fighting militancy in the State.
Admitting that there are limitations especially in shortage of numbers and inadequacy of equipments, Ramachandran said, “The State Government is seized of the problem but the State Police is doing whatever it takes to ensure safety and security of its citizens.”
The community initiatives under the Safe-Secure-Shillong project and similar initiatives at the district level are intended to obtain community partnerships towards the efforts to achieve a safer Meghalaya, the outgoing police chief said, adding, “I hope there will an efficient police force that would uphold the law and would be compassionate and helpful to the people.”
In a career spanning 34 years in the Indian Police Service, Ramachandran spent most of his early career in field policing at the district level in Assam and Meghalaya.
He had served in the Special Protection Group for 14 years, in two stints which gave him the opportunity to witness contemporary history from the ring side, having served 8 successive Prime Ministers. During 2005-2011, he served as the chairman of the Cochin post trust and was appointed as the DGP of Meghalaya in the last part of September 2011.