The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will not be deployed to Langpih, the Meghalaya government informed today.
Chairman of the regional border committee for West Khasi Hills, Paul Lyngdoh, today informed that the CRPF will not be deployed in Langpih as the disputed area has not witnessed any recent disturbances.
Recently, the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya had agreed that state police forces would be withdrawn from places like Khanduli, a border area that has seen recent clashes, and be replaced by the neutral CRPF.
Lyngdoh said that the CRPF will only be deployed in highly sensitive locations where troubles have broken out or have the potential of breaking out.
A few pressure groups expressed their disapproval of the CMs’ agreement. Reacting to this, Lyngdoh said that if they send Meghalaya police, Assam will object and if Assam sends their police, Meghalaya will object.
“If we send paramilitary forces (like the CRPF), NGOs will object. If we don’t send anyone, then you also will object, so then who do we send? Because we cannot leave those areas unmanned and unguarded,” he added.
Meanwhile, he said that the regional committee for West Khasi Hills is supposed to finish all its site visits and submission of a final report this month.
“As soon as our counterparts from Assam are free then we will be able to finalise the dates but we are positive it will be completed within October,” Lyngdoh said.
The minister was also positive about Meghalaya strengthening its law enforcement capabilities, with 2,500 recruits undergoing training with another 4,000 vacancies to be filled next year.
