Declaring Garo hills disturbed not required: Meghalaya DGP

There was no requirement to declare Garo Hills region in Meghalaya as a "disturbed area", despite an increase in militancy related incidents in the past four and a half years, state police chief said here today.
Stating that the police were doing an excellent job in fighting the militancy problem despite constraints, Director General of Police Peter James P Hanaman told reporters that "declaring Garo Hills as disturbed area was not required at this juncture."
Hanaman said declaring it disturbed area meant bringing the army in the region "which was not desirable".
Speaking about the peace talks with two militant groups in the Garo Hills, the ANVC and its break-away faction the ANVC-B, Hanaman said the police were doing their job.

"Peace talks were welcomed, but only if initiated at the political level with the militant groups," he said.
Admitting that some policemen joined militants in the past, he said "We have some bad apples in the force and we have dismissed them and kept them out of circulation under the Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act."
Among them were havildar Betharstone R Marak of the 4th Battalion who was arrested in March 2010, Balgra Marak, a constable, Jimberth R Marak, besides former DSP Champion Sangma who co-founded the outlawed GNLA, Hanaman said.