Police admit they cannot function ‘alone’

SHILLONG: Responding to the spate of allegations on illegal transportation of coal, and the role of the police in the whole affair, Meghalaya Police has maintained that they cannot function effectively on their own in ensuring that there is no illegal mining and transportation of coal in the state.
“Police are always at the frontline but we cannot function alone. For effective output we need to work in tandem with other branches of various other departments,” said a senior Police official. Informing that the directions of the NGT have been circulated from time to time to all the superintendents of police, the official said, “We are complying to whatever the NGT is asking us to do and everything is in black and white.
All SPs are on the job and following procedures. Many cases have also been registered and action is being taken. It is a continuous process,” the official added.
On the allegations of some police personnel collecting money from the truckers, the official said, “Whatever reports or allegations we get are already being enquired into. It is not as if we are not doing anything. Any illegalities or allegations if proven will be firmly dealt with,” the official added.
It may be mentioned that an enquiry has been ordered into the viral single-page ‘payment-list’ marked ‘confidential’ that has an account of illegal payments made to state police by coal mafia besides another enquiry on allegations of State police personnel collecting money from truckers.
Recently, a list of some media houses and journalists from Assam and some police stations of Assam and Meghalaya which included details of payments by the coal mafia had gone viral on social media. The other was a video of police collecting money from truckers.