Meghalaya police reject alleged harassment of commandos

Shillong, Aug 10 (IANS) The Meghalaya police on Saturday rejected the report of alleged harassment meted out by a Deputy Superintendent of Police to SF-10 commandos posted in Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills.

The commandos, who are trained in counter-insurgency operations, alleged that the DSP treated the special operation hardened personnel as new recruits, leading to disappointment and anger in the team which, they claimed, amounts to harassment.

They claimed any inspections or similar exercise for the operation team, the orders usually come from the headquarters to the Commandant who then gives further instructions, but the DSP has time and again conducted a series of inspections and orders them to "do as he pleases".

"There is no basis to the allegation. There is one DSP from SF 10 attached to EGH district. He ensures that discipline is maintained by all the personnel, especially those who have recently passed out," said a senior police officer posted at Williamnagar.

"Having passed out from basic training, some of them probably felt they should be allowed to dress and behave the way they want. It is the duty of the officers, especially the gazetted officers, to ensure discipline, and checking. This is not harassment; it is something which has to be ensured constantly," he said.

The SF-10 was raised on October 5, 2016 during the height of militancy in Garo Hills region. The state police's specialised force for counter-insurgency operations and crowd control and management. The personnel were trained in armed and unarmed combat as well as tactics for survival in urban and jungle warfare by instructors of the Army's special forces and Meghalaya police.

The commandos were also imparted specialised training on riot and crowd control by the Rapid Action Force of the CRPF.