Darrang police working sans Additiol SP and DSP

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, January 6: In the year 2008, the Darrang district witnessed the unprecedented group clash that origited from its neighbouring Udalguri district in which more than two lakh innocent villagers of both the districts were compelled to take shelter in relief camps while a total of about 68 villagers lost their lives. Both the districts again in 2012 were about to witness group clashes but due to the tough stand taken by the administration and the police the situation was brought under control. But how serious is the State Government and the Home Department about the district of Darrang which, though comparatively smaller in size and area, has been considered as one of the highly sensitive districts of the State?

Thepolice of this sensitive district is functioning without the Additiol Superintendent of Police (HQ) since the beginning of the new year. The Additiol Superintendent of Police (HQ) Diganta Chowdhury, on his promotion, got his release on December 31 and accordingly joined as Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Security and Intelligence) at the Guwahati Police Commissionerate on January 1. Significantly the Home Department has not transferred any official in his vacant post. On the other hand, another Additiol Superintendent of Police (Border) Rup Kishor Handique on his transfer to Morigaon district as Additiol Superintendent of Police (HQ) was released on January 5 and joined his new place of posting on January 6. Though Additiol Superintendent of Police (Traffic) of Guwahati, Ujjwal Barua has been transferred and posted as the Additiol Superintendent of Police (Border) in Darrang district, he is yet to join here till date.

What is more significant to note that the important post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) in Darrang district has been lying vacant since February last year with the transfer of Md. Hussain who joined as Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) in Jorhat district. At present the Superintendent of Police Vivek Raj Singh has been rendering his service with the help of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Border) Deba Ranjan Sarma, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSB) Keshab Phukan and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Probatiory) Rashmi Rekha Sarma.

On the other hand, the police in Darrang, like in other districts, too have been facing acute shortage of officers in the rank of Sub–Inspectors in seven police stations, including the ASEB police station, five police outposts, three watch posts and the lone patrol post in the district. A total of 27 Sub–Inspectors against the total sanctioned strength of 30 posts are overburdened with works which has caused tremendous hardship in prompt and proper investigation, besides tackling the law–and–order situation. According to available information, a total of about 600 cases have been registered in the police stations of the district per month and as per government policy, a Sub Inspector can be entrusted with five cases in a month for the sake of prompt and proper investigations. As a result of this acute shortage of Sub–Inspectors, at present, a Sub Inspector has been compelled to investigate about 22 cases per month.

In the greater interest of the people of the district and for ensuring prompt and effective police administration, the strength of the Sub–Inspectors should be increased in the district. Despite the acute shortage of officers, Superintendent of Police Vivek Raj Singh, in his second tenure in the district, has successfully been leading the police team in the district with his people–friendly attitude.