Shillong, Oct 8: The women of Meghalaya should be safe and feel safe to move about without having to fear becoming victims of crime, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who holds the Home portfolio, said today.
Responding to concerns over crimes against women, Tynsong said the government was “on the job” to deal with criminal activities but stressed that ensuring safety also required the participation of citizens, families and communities.
“We need to have a very close partnership among ourselves, stage by stage,” Tynsong said, calling for parents, children, communities and the government to work together.
He suggested that people undertaking unavoidable late-night trips should inform relatives, neighbours or the people they are visiting about their movements.
However, when asked whether such advice effectively restricted a woman’s freedom to move around at night, Tynsong said the government was not seeking to impose such restrictions.
Tynsong said the police have identified and designated certain places for security, but acknowledged that crimes can occur outside such locations and that neither citizens nor the police can predict where criminal activity may take place.
His remarks come amid concerns over recent incidents of crime in Shillong, including attacks and snatching incidents, which have raised questions over the safety of people, particularly women, in public spaces.
