SHILLONG: Highlighting the changing crime landscape in the state capital and its peripheries, the Superintendent of Police (SP) for East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem, stated that the district police have put in place a highly coordinated, multi-layered security system to combat various offenses, ranging from missing persons cases to specialized property crimes.
Addressing the rising frequency of missing person reports, SP Syiem revealed that the department handles numerous such cases every week, spanning different age groups and backgrounds.
He noted that the reasons behind these disappearances are diverse and highly dependent on individual profiles, citing domestic issues, romantic affairs, and individuals venturing outside the state in search of employment as primary factors.
Highlighting the department’s proactive reach, he shared that a specialized police team has already been dispatched to Gurdaspur to successfully rescue a missing girl.
The Superintendent of Police acknowledged that as Shillong expands, crime rates naturally trend upward. He pointed out that crimes against property, specifically theft and burglary, have seen a steady increase. However, the East Khasi Hills Police have successfully napped numerous individuals involved in two-wheeler thefts and residential burglaries.
This success, he emphasized, is heavily supported by a collaborative framework utilizing Smart City CCTV networks, locality-level surveillance, Village Defence Parties (VDPs), and various community stakeholder groups.
While acknowledging that an increase in tourism and overall footprints will inevitably drive crime up, Syiem assured that the city police are fully prepared and making systematic efforts to safeguard the public and prevent crime, an objective that requires the collective efforts of both citizens and law enforcement.
To counter the pressing issue of vehicle thefts, the district police have significantly expanded their operational footprint. Authorities have transitioned from conducting concentric vehicle checks solely within the city limits to extending these operations into suburban, urban, and rural areas.
SP Syiem identified two-wheelers parked vulnerably on roads without proper security measures, such as chains or GPS tracking systems, as a major concern for the district police. To tackle this, a special team is actively moving across suggested high-risk locations, complemented by the “Night Hunter” patrolling units to ensure a visible and active 24/7 police presence, particularly during the night.
Furthermore, the East Khasi Hills Police have established specialized, dedicated units to counter specific types of crime.
These includes the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) working alongside a special cell to curb social vices, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) dedicated to drug eradication, and a specialized task force created specifically to tackle two-wheeler thefts.
Additionally, the Special Operations Team (SOT) remains actively deployed to handle anti-insurgency operations. SP Syiem emphasized that while these distinct teams focus on specific criminal activities, they operate in tandem under a highly coordinated and seamless working arrangement to ensure public safety.
