Wikipedia

Assam Police

The Assam Police is the law enforcement agency for the state of Assam in India. A regular police force was initiated in Assam by the British after the Treaty of Yandaboo to maintain the law and order.[2] It functions under the Department of Home Affairs, Assam. The headquarters of Assam Police is situated at Ulubari in the state capital Guwahati.

Assam Police
Assam Police badge
Assam Police badge
Common nameAssam Police
AbbreviationAP
Mottoজনহিতজনসেৱাৰ্থে JONOHIT JONXEWARTHE ( Always at your service)
Agency overview
Formed1826
Employees0
Annual budget₹5,833 crore (US$700 million) (2019-20 est.) [1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionAssam, IN
Assam Police jurisdictional area
Size78438 km2
Population31,205,576
Legal jurisdictionState of Assam
General nature
Operational structure
Overseen byGovernment of Assam
HeadquartersOffice of the Director General of Police, Ulubari, Guwahati - 781007
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
Parent agencyHome Department, Govt of Assam

Organizational structure

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Assam Police comes under direct control of Department of Home Affairs, Government of Assam. The Assam Police is headed by a Director General of Police (DGP). The current DGP of the Assam Police is G.P. Singh, IPS

  • Assam police forces are organized into police ranges, headed by an inspector general deputy inspector general, who controls several police districts.
  • The police district is the fulcrum of state police activity and each district is headed by a superintendent. In many states a superintendent is assisted by one or more additional superintendents or deputy superintendents. Generally, a police district is same as a revenue district of a state.
  • The police district is divided into police sub-divisions under the command of a deputy superintendent of subdivision police officer.
  • The police sub-division is made up of one or more police circles, and is under the command of an inspector, often referred to as the circle inspector.
  • Under the police circles are the police stations, generally under the control of a sub-inspector.

Assam state police force also maintains its own Reserve Armed police force (special armed police and armed police) which is responsible for emergencies and crowd control issues. They are generally activated only on orders from the rank of DIG and higher-level authorities. The armed constabulary do not usually come into contact with the general public unless they are assigned to VIP duty, counter-insurgency operations, riot control or to maintain law and order during fairs, festivals, athletic events, elections, and natural disasters. They may also be sent to quell outbreaks of student or labour unrest, organised crime, to maintain guard posts and to participate in anti-terrorist operations. Depending on the type of assignment, the Armed Police force may carry lathis or lethal weapons.

Assam Police also have an elite commando group known as the "Black Panthers" equipped with modern weapons and technology for anti-terrorist operations and VVIP protection.

List of DGP of Assam Police

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List of Director General of Assam Police
Nos. Name Portrait Home Minister Appointment date Retirement date
Prakash Singh[3] Hiteswar Saikia 1991 1991
Harekrishna Deka[4] Prafulla Kumar Mahanta 2000 2003
Tarun Gogoi
P. V. Sumant[5] 2003 2005
Deepak Narayan Dutta[6] 2005 2006
Ghanashyam Murari Shrivastava[7] 2008 2009
Shankar Prasad Barua[8] 2009 2011
Jayanta Narayan Choudhury[9] 2011 2014
Khagen Sarma[10] 2014 2015
Mukesh Sahay[11] 2015 2018
Kuladhar Saikia[12] Sarbananda Sonowal 2018 2019
Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta[13]
 
 2019 2023
Himanta Biswa Sarma
Gyanendra Pratap Singh[14] 2023 Incumbent

Branches

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With the growth and development of the police administration in the post-colonial era, a number of new branches were established to meet the increasing demands of law and order. Some of these branches are:

  1. Bureau of Investigation (Economic Offenses)
  2. Special Branch
  3. Criminal Investigation Department
  4. Assam Police Border Organization
  5. Assam Police Radio Organization
  6. Assam River Police Organization
  7. Directorate of Forensic Science. Assam
  8. Assam Village Defense Organization.
  9. Fire & Emergency Services, Assam
  10. State Disaster Response Force, Assam
  11. Assam Police Highway Patrol Unit, (to be Introduced) [15]

The Assam Police has grown from strength to strength during the last two decade. In 1980 it had a force of 40,290 and at the end of the 20th century its numerical strength stands at 60,721.[16]

Battalion and Reserved Forces

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Assam Police Battalion (APBN)

Assam Police Battalion personnels are engaged in the onerous task of helping the district police in maintaining Law and Order, besides guarding the vital installations round the clock, including Counter Insurgency, Riot control . They are also engaged in other static security duties.

Year Battalion Headquarters District Notes
1948 1st APBN Ligripukhuri Sivasagar Engaged in manning 11 Border outpost
1952 2nd APBN Makum Tinsukia Engaged in Law and Order duties besides manning 4 Border outpost
1957 3rd APBN Titabor Jorhat Engaged in Law and Order duties besides manning 6 Border outpost
1962 4th APBN Kahilipara Kamrup Engaged in Law and Order duties besides manning 4 Border outpost
1964 5th APBN Sontilla North Cachar Hills Engaged in Law and Order duties
1965 6th APBN Kathal Cachar Engaged in Law and Order duties besides manning 6 Border outpost
1986 7th APBN Choraikhola Kokrajhar Engaged in Law and Order duties
1966 8th APBN Abhayapuri Bongaigaon Engaged in the guarding of vital installations and Law and Order duties
1970 9th APBN Barhampur Nagaon Engaged in manning 6 Border outpost, important railway bridges, other security and Law and Order duties
1973 10th APBN Kahilipara Kamrup Engaged in important security duties
1978 11th APBN Dergaon Golaghat Engaged in important security and Law and Order duties besides manning 7 Border outpost
1980 12th APBN Jamugurihat Sonitpur Engaged in manning 2 Border outpost, guarding vital installations and other Law and Order duties
1987 13th APBN Lilabari North Lakhimpur Engaged in Law and Order duties besides manning 4 Border outpost
1987 14th APBN Dualasal Nalbari Engaged in Law and Order duties besides besides guarding vital installations


Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBN)

The raising of CPMF can only meet the regular and increasing demand of the state. It was decided to augment the strengths of the state governments. It is in this context that I.R. Battalions were raised in Assam with the assistance of the central government. The central government however reserves the first right to call on these battalions as and when required for deployment outside the state. The personnel of the battalion are engaged in both operational as well as law and order duties.

Year Batallion Headquarters District
1994 15th AP IRBN Eraligool Karimganj
1994 16th AP IRBN Bormonipur Morigaon
2001 19th AP IRBN Tengakhat Dibrugarh
2001 20th AP IRBN Panbari Dhubri
2006 21st AP IRBN Katlicherra Hailakandi
2006 22nd AP IRBN Likabali Dhemaji
2008 23rd AP IRBN Siloni Karbi Anglong
2009 24th AP IRBN Eraligool Karimganj
2009 25th AP (ONGC) IRBN Ligiripukhuri Sivasagar


Assam Police Task Force (APTF)

APTF Battalion was raised as a speciality peace keeping force to tackle the instances of communal and group violence. The personnel of this force were posted in vulnerable areas and minority pockets, so that any sign of communal disharmony could be quickly countered and prevented from flaring up into a major communal violence. This force has functioned effectively as an emergency task force.

Year Batallion Headquarters District
1984 1st APTF Battalion Dakurvita Goalpara
1984 2nd APTF Battalion Lumding Hojai
1984 3rd APTF Battalion Khajuabeel Udalguri
1985 4th APTF Battalion Howly Barpeta


Commando Battalion [17]

Year Unit Headquarters District Notes
1996 Black Panthers Commando Mandakata North Guwahati Specially trained commando Battalion to deal with Counterinsurgency operations
2012 Veerangana Commando Kahilipara Guwahati Specialised women commando battalion engaged to tackle crime against women


State Disaster Response Force

State Disaster Response Force or SDRF ASSAM is a Specialised force of Assam Police raised with the objective of carrying out relief and rescue operations in a quick and effective manner during any natural and man-made disaster.

There are 05 Companies of SDRF Battalion In Different Parts of Assam.

Year Unit Headquarters District Notes
2011 1st Company SDRF Battalion Lilabari North Lakhimpur Formed out of 13th AP(Bn)
2011 2nd Company SDRF Battalion Kathal Cachar Formed out of 6th AP(Bn)
2011 3rd Company SDRF Battalion Sila North Guwahati
2020 4th Company SDRF Battalion Abhayapuri Bongaigaon
2020 5th Company SDRF Battalion Dergaon Golaghat

Medals and awards

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Officers of Assam Police got many awards and medals for their outstanding and meritorious service. Many officers and men of the Assam Police, laid down their lives in the fight against extremism since 1986.

Kirti Chakra

Year Rank Name Notes
2013 Inspector Lohit Sonowal Posthumously awarded for eliminating Two ULFA militants in Tinsukia[18]
2016 Constable Gautam Koch Posthumously awarded for eliminating militants in Dhansiri Outpost[19]

Shaurya Chakra

Year Rank Name Notes
2007 Superintendent of Police Pankaj Sharma Eliminated NSCN militants from Assam-Nagaland Border in 2004[20]

Jeevan Raksha Padak

Year Rank Name Notes
2024 Officer-in-Charge Samarjit Basumatary Civilian rescue from Longai River, Karimganj

List of receivers for 2011 President's Police Medal for Gallantry:

  • Constable Nirmal Chandra Deka.(Posthumously)

Police Medal for gallantry on republic day 2017.

  • Pranab Kumar Gogoi Circle Inspector.
  • Utpal Borah.Sub-Inspector
  • Anurag Agarwal.SP
  • Prakash Sonowal.SDPO
  • Imdad Ali.SDPO
  • Mahananda Gauria.Constable
  • Ghanakanta Malakar.Constable
  • Hemkanta Boro.Constable
  • Ratneshwar Kalita.Constable
  • Bapan Roy

Equipment and Vehicles

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All the equipment for the Assam Police are manufactured indigenously by the Indian Ordnance Factories, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.

  •  
    Standard Officer's Service Gun
  •  
    Glock 17 Standard Officer's Service Gun
  •  
  •  

Vehicles

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Vehicles Used for General Duty purpose.

Controversies

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There are many allegations and court cases of police brutality, custodial death, human rights violations, fake encounter killing, extortion, filling fake cases to harass the general public, corruption filed against the Assam Police. Because of the corrupt politicians the police have always complained not being able to function properly. Different organizations and their open extortion are known to the public and the police also have been alleged to have a fair share on those. Another main acquisition of Assam police in the present is that they are the friends of thieves, kidnappers and murderers rather than the public and it is said that the police has a better share in those crime money. Corruption of the organization is at peak with people fearing to go to the police against a crime as they need to pay money to file an FIR or take actions. There have also been reported human rights abuses against the Naga people, which has incited and increased Naga nationalism.

2021 Assam Police Fake Encounters

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Starting May 2021 several fake police encounters took place.[21] National Human Rights Commission has been approached with human rights violation in the alleged fake encounters.[22] On 21 December a Public Interest Litigation petition has been filed by Arif Jwadder before the Gauhati High Court demanding independent investigation over the fake encounters killings.[23] Till date 51 deaths and 139 injuries have occurred till date.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Assam Budget Analysis 2019-20" (PDF). prsindia.org. 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. ^ "History of Assam Police". Assam Police. 6 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Prakash Singh". ThePrint. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  4. ^ Chaudhary, Eyazul Aziz (23 April 2019). "Former Assam DGP Harekrishna Deka cries foul over EVM malfunction". EastMojo. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  5. ^ NEWS, NE NOW (28 July 2021). "From Police Commission to formation of battalions, Assam Cabinet takes several key decisions, check here for details". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Former Assam DGP Deepak Narayan Dutta Passes Away, Assam Police Decide Not To Celebrate New Year - The Hills Times". 31 December 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  7. ^ "GM Shrivastava is new DGP of Assam". Assam Times. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Former Assam DGP Shankar Barua commits suicide". The Hindu. 17 September 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Assam politicians very polite: NSG Chief Jayanto Narayan Choudhury". The Indian Express. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  10. ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (26 October 2019). "Former Assam DGP Khagen Sarma, 64, dies of cancer". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Assam's former top cop now teaches maths in school". The Indian Express. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  12. ^ Raja, Vidya (26 April 2018). "Assam's New DGP Is a Fulbright Scholar, Sahitya Akademi Recipient & IIT Doctorate!". The Better India. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta named as new Assam DGP incharge". India Today. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  14. ^ Tribune, The Assam (13 August 2024). "Assam's top cop GP Singh set for transfer; likely to head CRPF". assamtribune.com. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
  16. ^ Assam Police - History
  17. ^ Assam Police Commando Battalion
  18. ^ "Gallantry Awards | Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Gallantry Awards | Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Gallantry Awards | Ministry of Defence, Government of India". www.gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Assam police on 'encounter spree', NHRC told". The Hindu. 11 July 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  22. ^ Quint, The (12 July 2021). "'Assam Police on Encounter Spree': Delhi-Based Lawyer Approaches NHRC". TheQuint. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  23. ^ Scroll Staff. "Lawyer moves Gauhati High Court seeking independent probe into deaths in Assam's alleged encounters". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  24. ^ Bureau, The Hindu (29 July 2022). "Gauhati High Court asks Assam to file updated probe report encounter cases since May 2021". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 July 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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