NAP personnel irked by inadequate berth in train

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 22  

Personnel of the Nagaland Police returning home following a 3-year stint at the national capital were reportedly involved in an altercation with superiors at the Safdarjung Railway Station, New Delhi on September 21.  

The altercation was alleged to have occurred due to a failure of the higher ups to provide them with adequate transportation facilities. As per reports, the travel arrangements did not provide sufficient berths in the train for the personnel. A purported video of the altercation was also circulated on social media, which showed police personnel involved in heated exchange of words.  

Nagaland DGP, LL Doungel, when asked about the incident, said that one special train was requisitioned from Dimapur to bring the personnel home. The train reached Delhi and was scheduled to move from Delhi on the night of September 21.  

As per the allegation, the DGP said that there were not enough berths to carry all the personnel of about one battalion-strength. The DGP said that additional bogeys were arranged resulting in delay which was reported to have further irked the personnel.  

On the report of some officers being manhandled, the DGP said it could not be ascertained. According to him, the situation was brought under control and the entire unit moved from the Safdarjung Station today at around noon.  

The DGP further said that the returning personnel were not wholly of the one NAP unit but were drawn from different NAP units.  

IGP (NAP), Bendang Lemtur said that the personnel demanded a berth for every person. Lemtur though defended that it is normal practice to not reserve berths for each and every personnel when armed units move. Explaining the logic, Lemtur said that it is standard procedure to maintain round the clock armed vigil whenever armed forces travel, which implies that a certain number of personnel takes turn to stand guard. This further implies that the berth-personnel ratio is not as per the headcount.  

Stating that the demand was eventually obliged, Lemtur informed 3 additional bogeys were arranged. The returning unit of around 700 personnel were on their way home, he added.