MANGALDAI, Dec 20 - Chairperson of State Police Accountability Commission (SPAC) and retired Justice Pranay Kr Musahary has observed that if we have to bring down the cases of crime, the gap between police and public must be minimised.
He was addressing a district-level awareness meet organized by the SPAC here at the district library on Saturday.
In his address, he said that there were times when the police used to pick up people without any legitimate ground and harassed, but now the situation has changed as the statutory autonomous bodies like the SPAC, Human Rights Commission etc., have been constantly monitoring the police activities and the differences between police and public have also been decreasing.
However, efforts should be made from both �man in khaki� and the public to narrow the existing gap even further. Similarly, speaking on the occasion, Siba Prasad Kakoti, one senior member of the SPAC and retired DGP of Meghalaya spoke on the functions of the SPAC which was formed by Government on the basis of Assam Police Act 2007.
However, he lamented that awareness about this commission among the people of the State is very poor, for which the commission till its inception in 2007-08 has registered only about 550 complaints, including 25 from Darrang district.
He added that the SPAC has already passed verdict against about 30 police officers against whom allegations of serious misconduct, negligence of duty, torture on accused during their custody etc., have been proved.
The daylong meet which was attended by about 700 people, including members of non-Government organisations, women organisations, student organisations, elected public representatives, mediapersons and police officials across the district.
An interactive session among the participants and the SPAC office-bearers was also held. Issues relating to severe manpower shortage, lack of proper infrastructure, training on technological knowhow etc., among the officials of the Assam Police were also discussed.
Veteran women leader Rani Devi, chairperson of Kharupetia Town Committee, Krishna Saha and mediapersons like Mayukh Goswami, Srawan Kr Jha took part in direct interaction with the SPAC chairperson.
The objective of the meeting was explained by the SPAC secretary, Haresh Ch Dutta. The meeting was also addressed by Neli Ahmad Tanwer, SPAC member, Subhrajyoti Hazarika, DIG, Northern Assam Range, Sunil Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Darrang, and Bidyut Bikash Bhagawati, Sadar Subdivisional Officer, Mangaldai.
