Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal led a joint inspection of Shillong’s Lum Survey on Tuesday. The team moved in to tackle reports of rampant drug use. Residents there face unsafe and difficult living conditions. It is a mounting problem.
Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem and Additional Deputy Commissioner Shanborlang Warjri joined the walk-through. Representatives from the Cantonment Board and MeECL were also on the ground. The group scrutinized the locality after residents complained about criminal activity. Law enforcement is already working hard on the issue.
Baranwal praised the police for their consistent raids and enforcement actions against local illegal operations. The deputy commissioner emphasized that cleaning up Lum Survey demands a unified approach from all involved agencies. He told officials, "tackling the issues in Lum Survey would require coordinated action by the district administration, police, Cantonment Board and other agencies."
Ongoing legal disputes complicate the situation. Certain matters regarding the Cantonment area remain sub judice. This makes inter-agency cooperation vital for any long-term fix. Officials continue to weigh security needs against the basic welfare of the population.
Updated at 19th August 2026 at 1:50pm
The administration is shifting tactics as a High Court stay blocks forced removals. Officials have launched mass profiling of the area, which houses more than 200 people. The Deputy Labour Commissioner and anti-infiltration teams are verifying resident identities and documents to flag illegal immigrants. Authorities also plan to deploy CCTV and other technology to monitor the enclave.
Police say the job is messy. Peddlers have been using the local drainage system as an escape route during raids, forcing officials to study the area's layout to plan better ambushes. MeECL is also involved, investigating reports of power theft and unauthorized electricity connections, with officials ordered to submit a detailed report on the findings.
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