Improving police-public relations stressed at district-level awareness meet of SPAC
From our Correspondent
MANGALDAI, December 19: “If we are to bring down the cases of crime in the society, the difference between police and public must be minimized.” This was the observation made by the chairman of State Police Accountability Commission (SPAC) and retired Justice, Pray Kr Mussahary while addressing the SPAC sponsored district-level awareness meet here at the district library auditorium on Saturday.
In his address, he said that there were times when police used to pick up people without any legitimate ground and tortured them but now the situation had changed as statutory autonomous bodies like the SPAC, Human Rights Commission were constantly monitoring the police activities and the difference between police and public were also decreasing. He also stressed that efforts should be made from both the ‘Men in Khaki’ and public to minimize the existing difference even more.
Senior member of SPAC and retired DGP of Meghalaya, Siba Prasad Kakoti dwelt at length on the functions of the SPAC which had been formed by the government on the basis of the Assam Police Act, 2007. However, he lamented that the awareness about this Commission among the people of the State, particularly in rural areas, was very poor for which the Commission since its inception in 2007-08 had registered only about 550 complaints, including around 25 from Darrang. He further recounted that the SPAC had already passed judgment against about 30 police officers against whom allegations of serious misconduct, negligence of duty, torture on the accused during their custody in police had been proved.
The day-long meet attended by about 700 people, including members of non-government organizations, women organizations, student organizations, media persons, members from VDP and police officials across the district, also featured an interactive session among the participants and office bearers of the SPAC where issues relating to severe man power shortage, lack of proper infrastructure, training on technological knowhow among the officials of the Assam Police were also discussed.
Veteran women activist Rani Devi, chairperson of Kharupetia Town Committee Sipra Saha, media persons Mayukh Goswami and Srawan Kr Jha were among others who took part in the interaction with the chairman of SPAC. The meet, whose objectives were explained by Secretary of SPAC, Haresh Ch Dutta, was also addressed by member of the SPAC Nelie Ahmad Tanveer, Deputy Inspector General of Northern Range, Subhra Jyoti Hazarika, and Superintendent of Police, Darrang, Sunil Kumar.