Shillong, Jan. 27: The Centre has decided to give Meghalaya an additional police force of the India Reserve Battalion. The battalion, with a strength of 1,000, will be the fifth in the state. State home ministry sources said the recent spurt in killings and abductions in the Garo Hills was the main reason why the Centre gave Meghalaya the Republic Day gift. Meghalaya director-general of police L. Sailo said currently there are two CRPF battalions and three operational police battalions, located in the East Khasi Hills, the Garo Hills and the West Khasi Hills.
?We have insufficient manpower and need more forces to tackle the militants who keep moving from one place to other,? he said. Meghalaya home minister Lotsing A. Sangma told The Telegraph today that the Centre informed the state government about the battalion in a faxed message a day before the Republic Day celebrations.
?Union minister of state for home I.D. Swami informed me about the battalion,? Sangma said, but did not disclose where the battalion would be posted.
The minister, however, did not rule out the possibility of setting up the battalion in the Garo Hills, where it has been next to impossible for the police to check the deteriorating law and order situation with the existing manpower.
?With the new battalion, things will definitely improve,? Sangma said. The home minister, who is also a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Baghmara in South Garo Hills, has been criticised by his political rivals for soft-pedalling the militancy issue in the Garo Hills while allowing the police to ?have a free hand? in other districts of the state.