Armed cops started marching towards Guwahati
Guwahati: In what has set the alarm bells ringing in the security circles, the Assam government was virtually forced to surrender to quell a “police revolt” by more than 250-armed ‘Special Police Officers’ in Assam. The problem started on Friday when more than 250 SPOs armed with self-loading rifles and at least 40 rounds of ammunitions with each, refused to deposit their arms to the police stations.
Despite repeated appeals and instruction of their commander and SP of Dima Hasao district, the SPOs started marching towards the state capital to press for their long-pending demands. The situation was defused late on Saturday evening only after the state government gave in writing that all the SPOs would be permanently absorbed in the Assam Industrial Security Force (AISF) by June next year and the whole arrears salary of the SPOs would be released by December 31 this year.
The SPOs battalion, comprising ex-home guards of the state were raised and deployed in North Cachar Hills for protection of ongoing works of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The SPOs have been accusing that state government reduced their salary from Rs 8,200 which was at the time of recruitment to Rs 6,000. DIG Binod Kumar said that situation was now under control.
