The Meritorious Manipur Police & Security Of Our Children?

Seram Neken

Even though Manipur tops the list of meritorious police personnel on Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations every year, the very security force failed to save the life of a small girl of five years. The police were more active in rescuing the lives of Tokay Gecko than in tracing Maibam Miranda.

Security in the periphery is seen less alert and energetic than that in the VIP dominated areas. It is obvious that the meaning of security in Manipur is limited to protecting important persons, rather than ensuring safety of common people in the far-away places.

There was a gap of two days between the reported missing of Maibam Miranda and finding of her dead body at Wabgai Tentha Thambal hillock under Kakching Police station. Again after another two days, an angry mob lynched an alleged culprit and his wife. Police intelligence networks had supposedly failed to trace a missing minor in such a small locality. Even after recovery of dead body, police again failed to book any suspect from the same locality.

Since the mob turned furious, there was no time for judgment. The crime was so brutal and cruel that anyone alleged to be involved could not brave the fury and survive for a minute in front of the mob. Police networks in the periphery of the state needs to be energized for assuring common people's safety particularly the children.

Only a few months back, the State Home Minister Gaikhangam claimed improvement of law and order situation in Manipur with the energetic role played by Manipur Police Department. However, his words have been reduced to a mere and usual oration of a big boss who is ignorant of the ground reality in the field. In the aspects of safety and security of children, the police could hardly exercise its skill and energy on various occasions.

Child missing cases have been rampant in Manipur for the last few years. Police actions on tracing and booking culprits were not satisfactory in these eventualities, as if police in Manipur is specifically energetic only in countering insurgents.

The recent report of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur records 98 children killed in fake encounters by security forces in Manipur from 1979 to May 2012. According to National Crime Records Bureau, 5 children were murdered and 30 raped in Manipur in 2010 and 2011. During the two years, 125 children were abducted or kidnapped for various reasons. During January-April 2012, altogether 27 children in Manipur were reported missing while 45 were trafficked. In such a grim picture, the state police need a special task force especially for ensuring children's safety.

If the local and national media had attended the criminality of Miranda's case enormously, then the investigating agencies could have acted with alert in their mission. Unfortunately, such crimes happening in Manipur are always attached less importance of most media houses of the country. In fact, the crimes affecting right to life of the children should be given priority of the national media, so that the attention of the whole world be drawn on the brutality meted out to minor humans.

The role of media in moulding public opinion as well as in finding justice for various crimes affecting life and liberty of common people is well established. Media focus (both local and national) on the Maibam Miranda murder case in Manipur has been deplorably poor in comparison with the national media catching attention of viewers on the recent molestation of a woman in Guwahati and the suicide of the former airhostess Geetika Sharma.

When the media attention is enormous, the other investigating agencies can not remain lethargic and unfair. Hence, an active media can stir up the get-up-and-go attitude of the investigating agencies for bringing timely justice. It is opined that the state media may take the responsibility on priority basis to draw the attention of the whole world on each and every crime against the minor humans happening in Manipur.

The failure of police intelligence in the outskirts of the capital city has been witnessed in the case of brutal murder of Miranda. There was ample time to trace the child and book the culprits. The police networks in the periphery of the state is not up-to the satisfaction, may be because of the fact that there were no VIP settlement there.

The meaning of security in Manipur seems to be limited to VIPs and VVIPs. The common people - hapless, helpless and who are in dire want of police services are always reported neglected.

If the state police are unable to trace even a small missing girl and to book any culprit in a small locality, can we claim improvement of law and order situation and can we call the Manipur police meritorious.......?