Policemen unfazed by exodus

Shillong, Aug. 9 : Meghalaya police today said the flight of constables to the Garo hills-based Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), will not demoralise the force. “Those who have left the police force have betrayed the community as they were under an oath to serve the people. This, however, will in no way demoralise us,” additional-director general of police, special branch, S.K. Jain, said. Jain said a few deserters cannot undermine the hard work of 10,000 to 12,000 men. “We regret that a few have left us, but no one can undermine the efforts of the policemen who work round the clock with dedication,” Jain said. The GNLA has been successfully able to use the media to project its agenda that apathy of the state police is responsible for constables quitting and joining the militants. The allegations against the police are that the pay of some erring constables are withhe-ld by the police higher ups and some other constables are kept in isolated places in the Police Reserve in Shillong, as punishment for various lapses. Another allegation is that some constables are kept in the houses of police higher ups as orderlies. They are sometimes used as servants to wash clothes and utensils. They have also been asked to fetch their children from schools. A senior police official also admitted that the police officials, according to convention, use the services of orderlies but denied any ill treatment. He, however, said the constables who work as orderlies need to be properly treated. Referring to the punishment for erring constables, the police officer said they have different ways of correcting personnel and this is in practice in other security forces too.