Political interference marks police rejig in state

SHILLONG: Political pressure has resulted in the recent transfer and posting of several police officials in the state ahead of the Rajya Sabha poll.
Sources said the coalition partners in the MDA played a crucial role in deciding the fate of police officers.
According to sources, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui were under pressure from coalition partners to effect the transfer and posting of police officers.
The pressure came at a time when the NPP desperately wanted the support of the coalition partners to win the lone Rajya Sabha seat.
The NPP leadership was not in a position to resist the pressure though the Home department wanted transfers based on merits.
Another allegation is that the coal lobby was also instrumental in effecting transfers in certain districts as auction and transportation of already extracted coal will take place shortly.
With the government succumbing to the pressure from several quarters, some senior police officials were also helpless as the political masters could not back them, the sources added.