Acting DGP talks tough on Garo militancy

SHILLONG: The State police will use the enthusiasm of young recruits in the Special Force-10 and the experience of senior SWAT officers to wipe out militancy from Garo Hills. Acting DGP Swaraj Bir Singh while speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, a day after he took charge from SK Jain, said the State police force “will take militancy head on” in Garo Hills, which has been witnessing deteriorating law and order, and also strengthen itself simultaneously. Singh said the Meghalaya police team is working hard and that it expects good results in the future. Though he asserted that the situation in the Garo Hills districts “has improved a lot”, he said some pockets in South Garo Hills still remain a concern and the police will concentrate on the district to flush out militants. Last week, a group of ASAK rebels had kidnapped nine Assam traders from near a village in South Garo Hills. Police are still searching for the abductees. “We will optimise the young enthusiasm of SF-10 jawans and the experience of old SWAT boys and carry our fight against militancy,” Singh said. Besides flushing out rebel groups, tackling crime against women and children and curbing drug abuse and sale will also be on the police’s priority list. “We will concentrate on all aspects of crime against women and we are also working hard on social media policing,” Singh said.