Our Bureau
SHILLONG, Oct 10: Former Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Friday described the alleged murder of a seven-year-old boy from Lum Myrboh Block-3, Nongrah, as an “unexpected” and “unprecedented” incident, saying it marks a disturbing turn of events for Shillong — a city long regarded as safe for all genders and age groups.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Lyngdoh admitted that it is impossible to police every inch of Meghalaya and asked the Police department to delve deeper to understand what went wrong.
“In my capacity as Adviser to the Social Welfare Department, we will continue to follow up on the case to ensure that justice is served,” he assured.
Lyngdoh stressed that tackling such crimes against minors requires the active involvement of all stakeholders.
While acknowledging gaps in parental supervision, he said the state cannot absolve itself of responsibility.
“We must also accept that it is impossible to police every inch of Meghalaya. Therefore, a collaborative approach is essential,” he stated, adding that there should be systems in place at the community level to identify potential offenders before crimes occur.
The former Minister reiterated his long-standing call for strengthening Village Defence Parties (VDPs) across the state. “For effective crime prevention, VDPs should be properly organised at the locality and village levels,” he said.
He pointed out that Shillong, despite having a population of over six lakh, currently has only 11 registered VDPs.
“If the Dorbar Shnongs and Village Dorbars do not come forward to assist, we cannot expect the police who already operate with one of the lowest police-to-civilian ratios to fill this gap,” Lyngdoh added.
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma on Friday expressed deep concern over the recurring incidents of murder of children in the state even as he lambasted the government for failing to fill vacancies in the Police department.
Stating that the government needs to understand the problem from the broader perspective, he warned that if this vicious environment is allowed to persist, it could create a fertile ground for criminal minds to thrive, causing negative consequences.
He mentioned incidents where bodies of children were recovered after they were reported missing. He said such crime against children was unseen and unheard of in the past in Meghalaya.
Sangma said all petty criminal activities provide a breeding ground for larger crimes to eventually emerge and challenge the society. It is exactly what is happening today, he said.
He said while all kinds of groups are coming together in rural areas to engage in criminal activities, the Police department is continued to be affected by the lack of manpower.
Referring to “Safe and Secure Shillong” launched during his tenure, Sangma said the initiative, which was supposed to be extended to other districts, should have been strengthened and amplified in the best interests of the state.
The State BJP has asked the police to nab the culprits involved in the murder of 7-year-old Kyrshanbor Kharmudai at the earliest.
BJP Spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang said the child’s murder has shocked the state.
The BJP condemned the crime and extended condolence to the grief-stricken family which is struggling to cope with an irreparable loss.
