Transfer of 13 Villages from Doomdooma to Digboi PS Highlights Borhapjan’s Policing Challenges

Our correspondent

DIGBOI: The transfer of 13 villages from Doomdooma Police Station to Digboi Police Station has brought the policing challenges of the Borhapjan belt into sharp focus, with residents and grassroots stakeholders seeking a fully functional and adequately staffed Police Outpost at Borhapjan.

The jurisdictional realignment was carried out by the Assam Government as part of its exercise to align police-station boundaries with the State’s 126 Legislative Assembly Constituencies. While the move addresses an administrative boundary issue, the ground reality has raised concerns over accessibility and police response in the newly attached areas.

The affected villages include Borhapjan, Sukanguri, Kecheruguri, Pavojan, Bortarani, Guponari Habi, Raidang, Raidang Pathar, Raidang Bongali, Panikhowa, Panikhowa Bongali and Sukanpukhuri, besides notified tea-estate settlements.

Several locations are now around 25 to 30 km from Digboi Police Station, whereas they were reportedly within approximately 10 to 15 km of Doomdooma Police Station earlier. The increased distance has prompted questions over emergency response, night patrolling and accessibility to police services.

Village Defence Party office-bearers, Gaonburahs and government school headmasters have reportedly expressed concern over the logistical difficulties involved in reaching Digboi for police-related matters. A government school headmaster said even routine official visits to the parent police station can be time-consuming, raising concerns over response during emergencies.

A rural journalist residing near the fringe of the newly attached jurisdiction also claimed that police personnel had, on some occasions, allegedly reached after suspected offenders had fled. The claim, however, could not be independently verified.

The concerns assume significance amid reports of alleged oil pilferage from AOD oil tankers travelling towards neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, besides allegations of cattle theft, suspected timber smuggling, gambling and other unlawful activities in parts of the belt. These allegations require verification by the competent authorities. Stakeholders, however, maintain that the situation warrants stronger surveillance, intelligence gathering and night patrolling.

With rising population, vehicular movement and commercial activity, policing requirements in the Borhapjan belt have also increased. Accident response, traffic management, crime prevention and maintenance of law and order are becoming increasingly demanding.

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