Centre sets up committee to review Garo Hills security
SHILLONG: Following reports about Garo militants using pre-activated SIM cards originating from other NE states like Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura to carry on their anti-social activities, Meghalaya Police has moved High Court of Meghalaya seeking its intervention in this regard.
Submitting the plea on Wednesday, Meghalaya Inspector General of Police (IGP) — GHP Raju, who appeared in the court on behalf of his department, urged the court to issue some kind of restrictions on the use of SIM cards originating from other states.
He said such exercise — in place in Jammu and Kashmir — will also help police to contain the use of SIM cards by militants.
It may be mentioned that recently hundreds of unauthorised SIM cards sold across the counters were seized. From Tura in West Garo Hills to Shallang in West Khasi Hills and Williamnagar in East Garo Hills to Mendipathar in North Garo Hills, police have seized unauthorised SIM cards of Airtel, Aircel, Reliance, Vodafone and Idea.
The director-general of police Rajiv Mehta, while expressing concern over this “mobile menace”, had recently directed all superintendents of police to organise a special and intensive drive against sellers of unauthorised SIM cards activated from Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Tripura and to take up cases against the sellers under appropriate sections of the Information Technology Act.
It is learnt that Pre-activated SIM cards originated from Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Assam have become the main source of communication for militants and criminals alike and in all the extortion notes sent to victims by GNLA, ASAK, LAEF, AMEF, they have indicated mobile phone numbers to contact and negotiate.
During the hearing, the court also wanted to know about the whereabouts of Battalion head constable (havildar) Khomraj Bhattarai of 6th Battalion, who was abducted from Songsak earlier this month.
In his reponse, Raju told the court that police were trying to trace the policeman, who was abducted by GNLA commander Pilliport D Shira.
Centre sets up committee to review Garo Hills security: The Centre on the other hand informed the Court that a committee has been set up to review the security situation in Garo Hills.
The Union Home Ministry formed the committee after the High Court issued an order directing the Centre to consider the use of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and deployment of armed and paramilitary forces to control the deteriorating law and order situation in the Garo Hills.
“We have informed the court that the government has discussed the prevailing law and order situation in Garo Hill at the highest level,” Rakhal Debnath, counsel for the central government, told IANS.
He said the government has also set up a committee to review the security situation in the Garo Hills and on the India-Bangladesh border (in Meghalaya).
“The Central government will take a decision on it only after assessing the security situation in the Garo Hills and the international border,” Debnath said.
On November 2, the High Court asked the Union Home Secretary and Defence secretary to consider the use of AFSPA and deployment of armed and paramilitary forces in the Garo Hills.
It also directed the principal secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office to place the order before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his perusal and consideration. (With inputs from IANS)