The raising extortion
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 07, 2010 -

The acts of extortion have been on the rise in the recent years, particularly in Imphal city and on the national highways passing through the state. Extortions in the state were largely responsible for the innumerable factions of underground groups operating in the state particularly in Imphal and its outskirts areas where most of the government offices and business establishments are concentrated.

The rise in the incidences of extortion is, actually, manifestation of the overall slide in the law and order situation in recent months. Almost everyday, we heard of threatening of government officers and individuals by triggering or depositing bombs across the state, particularly in Imphal city.

Imphal, the capital city of Manipur is the nerve centre of extortion of all the underground groups because of the concentration of all government offices and business establishment. The extortion is carrying out by the undergrounds from the contract works including supply, transportation, contracts, etc.

Apart from this, they are also indulging in carrying out contract works through contractors sponsored by them. Hence, abduction for ransom or other reasons is a regular feature in the district. This is known by the government and the common as well. State government has well knowledge of the same.

That is why government has, in February 2009, decided to set up a Special Cell in the state police department to control/minimize extortion/threat retaliation carry out by the undergrounds. Government agencies particularly the police are blaming undergrounds and its overground members for the acts.

An analysis report stated that in this forms of extortion, the engineers of the state Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), Power, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Minor Irrigation (MI) etc. play a highly dubious and significance role.

Eighty to 90 percent deduction of funds from contractors during the time of bill payment, in connection with contract works including supply/transportation apart from construction works are carrying out by the engineers, police analysis report had observed.

DDOs and cashiers of the government departments are also deducting 60 to 70 percent or 50 to 60 percent once in three consecutive months from the salaries of the employees is also another scenario of undergrounds extortion in the state.

With a view to curb extortion of money from its employees by way of cutting percentage from the monthly salaries, Manipur government has made compulsory payment of salaries and other entitlement employees through bank accounts with the finance department issued an order regarding the matter on April 18 last year (2009) asking all the employees to open their bank accounts compulsorily.

The move of the state finance department is a part of the Manipur government action plan to control/minimize extortion/threat retaliation carrying out by the undergrounds.

The effectivity of the government step of disbursing employees salaries through banks towards checking rampant extortion menace could not be known for the time being as it is in the beginning stage but the current series of attacks at the government officers' residence and private undertaking which police link with extortion demand and people also know is the matter of concern as some instances, state security personnel and employees are allegedly found involved in the acts.

To cite some of the instance, abduction of IRB man who hurled and exploded a bomb at the Chamber of Commerce Hospital and abduction of two engineers of the Manipur University Engineering Cell with the cash amount mean for paying to an underground group. We believed this are only some instances which government machineries are involved in extortion.

The arrest of a personnel of the 8th with a woman as activists of KCP(MC) being the latest one. Arrest of the two engineers may not be taken as serious matter on the point of view that they may have compelled to do the collection of money but more serious thing is the involvement of security men in the extortion bid which had revealed by the arrest of IRB and MR personnel.

But a lesson that can be taught by the government with is that whether the action plan to control/minimize extortion/threat retaliation carries could be check without the sincere effort of the implementing agency, that is, the police.

As police has a great role to take part but the more important is government support to the police in dealing with the menace as well as the sincerity of the top brasses of the police.