In what could be construed as an admission of failure by the administration to maintain expected levels of law and order, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah stated today that Shillong city is unsafe for ordinary citizens at night.
She said this today in defence of her collective punishment order (though she took umbrage at the word punishment when used by a reporter) that dictates that all shops and other establishments close by 10pm starting tomorrow. The order was passed after a particularly rowdy episode recently where a brawl ended with a mob stoning Laitumkhrah police station and setting vehicles on fire.
Today, Kurbah said that members of the public should be in their homes with their families after 10pm as Shillong is no longer safe.
The Laitumkhrah incident was not the only one of its kind, the DC said, with several reports of unruly behaviour in Shillong besides several cases of arson.
“We see people moving in vehicles with loud music, modified systems creating noise and there is an unpleasant feeling of fear and uncertainty for young people to move out,” she said.
People should go back to their home and families after 10pm, the DC added.
The decision to restrict opening hours could be a dent to Shillong’s image as a tourist hub, with many visitors still thronging areas like Khyndailad well after 10pm.
“It’s not safe anymore even for us to go back after 10 as we don’t feel safe at all,” Kurbah said.
When asked if police patrolling should be intensified, she said that uniformed personnel cannot be at every nook and corner of the city.
That will sound like a poor excuse to many, as it is a fact that the police service is short staffed. Barely any policemen can be seen on the streets of Shillong after 8pm. And the Laitumkhrah incident which was the spark for this order took place in one of the most prominent neighbourhoods of the city, not in a hidden away nook. CCTV coverage and even streetlights are also deficient in Shillong.
On being asked whether the order is just on paper, like the controversial order restricting taxis and buses that has yet to be enforced, Kurbah assured that the administration will follow through with both.
