What happened in Tura on Tuesday July, 25 was clearly an intelligence failure on the part of the Police Department which should have foreseen that such a scenario is likely to happen in a highly surcharged situation. The group ACHIK had been on hunger strike for their demand for a winter capital in Tura besides other demands. The hunger strike had reached its 14th day on July 25. That it took the Chief Minister a fortnight to respond to the demands and to engage with the agitating groups shows a lack of sensitivity. After all, ACHIK carries the aspirations and hopes of the Garo people for a better tomorrow. The demand for a winter capital is dictated by the fact that it was a long-standing promise to the Garo people by Meghalaya’s first chief minister, Captain Williamson A Sangma. That this demand was not fulfilled in 50 years shows remiss on the part of successive state governments and not just the MDA-02 government. Conrad Sangma is bearing the brunt of accumulated ire which perhaps is fuelled by the contentious Roster System vis a vis the State Reservation Policy. Be that as it may, the police and district administration should have anticipated the storming of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Tura.
Intelligence gathering is an integral part of policing. How could the district police not foresee the storming of the Secretariat? Was there not enough police force to guard the precincts? The Police Chief had made a statement to the media that the sudden attack by a huge mob was a conspiracy to harm the Chief Minister. He even stated that police had enough evidence that money and other enticements were distributed on July 23. When did the DGP get that information? Did he get it before July 25? If not, then of what use is the information at this point? Good policing revolves around good and timely intelligence gathering. Why was the July 25 gatecrash not anticipated and the motives of the criminal elements nipped in the bud?
Information gathering and analysing such information is what helps police make informed decisions in strategic occasions especially when that concerns VIP security. Information not only helps to curb crime but is imperative for internal security. Meghalaya has passed through periods of insurgency and the presence of arms and ammunition with former militants who might have surrendered cannot be ruled out. Also, the regrouping of former militants as evidenced in Manipur does not take much of a trigger. Policing involves eternal vigilance and the July 25 incident needs to be analysed and the gaps in policing have to be addressed. Police also need to be reminded, lest they forget that they are paid from the public exchequer to secure the lives and property of all citizens and not just that of VIPs and the elite of society.