With the increasing population in Guwahati - the gateway of the northeast - the number of crimes is also increasing and the consequent deteriorating law and order situation is increasingly coming under scrutiny. The police and the authorities might claim that the scenario is under control but the residents have a different story altogether.
Some new gangs have become operative in the city and robbery is what these gangs are resorting to.
Recently, a group of robbers entered a house in Bamunimaidan and the CCTV camera of the house captured their scarf-covered faces. The gang tried breaking the door but were thwarted by the strong locks in place.
A source in Chandmari police said, “There are some new gangs in the area but there was no major robbery incident reported. However the police are investigating all angles and suspected gang members will be soon apprehended.”
Similarly, some gangs are operating in the AK Azad Road area and last week a major burglary incident was reported in Jyotikuchi Dhopolia. A gang of robbers entered the house of one Tultuli Das near Dhupolia Bihu Field and looted around Rs 1 lakh in cash.
The victim, talking to G Plus said, “I was sleeping with my family and at around 1 am a group of people started knocking on the door. Thinking that it might be some neighbour I opened the door and as soon as I did that they sprayed something on my face causing me to lose consciousness.” She narrated that thereafter the gang sprayed the same stuff on everyone in the house.
The gang looted Rs 1 lakh and left the house; the family members regained consciousness after three hours.
The Fatasil Ambari police however till now have not been able to apprehend the culprits.
Similarly, there are many other concerns. The bomb blast just before Durga Puja (13th October) has further raised the concerns of the citizens. The city police was not at all prepared for such an attack and even after the blast the police could not verify for hours whether it was an IED or a grenade blast.
Members of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) recently met Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and apprised him about the deteriorating law and order situation in Assam, especially the discernible spurt in crimes against women.
The memorandum submitted to the Assam Governor stated that in recent times there has been a spate in random and contract killings in various parts of the state and in Guwahati and its outskirts.
The 18-member group which included leader of the opposition and Nazira MLA, Debabrata Saikia and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told the Governor that there is an increase in the frequency of police action such as baton charges and even firing upon demonstrators. The party claimed that the police are not being able to handle demonstrations peacefully.
According to a news portal, the Governor was apprised on the alarming data on crimes against women in the past two years in which 29,223 cases were recorded against women.
These included 3,009 rapes, 17,106 incidents of physical assaults and 9,108 cases of kidnapping. Nine incidents of rape culminated in the death of the victims.
The members stated that girls were now scared to come out of their houses to go for studies or work.
The Governor’s intervention was sought to galvanize this apathetic government to action as it was seen that they were side stepping the issue when it was raised during the Assembly session.
Ghy Rly Station turns into an easy target for rebels
The Guwahati Railway Station is the most targeted point for rebels but it seems the Ministry of Railways is not all that worried about the security concerns.
The luggage scanning machine located at the entrance of the Guwahati Railway Station has remained non-functional since the last one year and the concerned railway authorities are not getting it repaired.
A source in the Railway Police Force (RPF) talking to G Plus said, “The luggage scanner is not operating since the last one year and the signal and communication department of the railways is responsible for repairing it but they are not repairing it despite repeated reminders.”
The security personnel now check luggage of only a few passengers thoroughly making things easier for the smugglers.
The sources in the Northeast Frontier Railway revealed that within a month a tender will be floated to repair the scanner; in the northeast the scanner located in New Jalpaiguri Station is the only one functioning properly.
The Guwahati railway station also has many other entry points which are not properly sealed by the security personnel making it vulnerable to bomb blasts.
