Imphal, April 18: Alarmed by the rising crime graph, the Manipur government has decided to strengthen the state police force to beef up security and speed up investigations.

“Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has sought a detailed report on the requirements of the state police regarding manpower, mobility and other necessary infrastructure like construction of police stations and outposts,” newly-appointed director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh said today.

Ibobi Singh, who also holds the home portfolio, reviewed the law and order situation in the state with chief secretary Jarnail Singh and top-ranking police officers led by the DGP at his office last night.

A steep rise in abductions and killing of civilians, including children, by unidentified persons and snatching of gold ornaments from children by drug addicts have prompted the move by the state government.

After the bodies of two children were recovered from a gorge recently, two youths in Thoubal district were killed and their bodies dumped in a drain by unidentified assailants.

The state police are still clueless about the whereabouts of four senior officials of the Manipur Electronics Development Corporation believed to have been abducted by a militant group on March 6.

Yesterday, two government offices located in the high-security capital city, were locked by unknown persons believed to be militants. Police had to break open the doors.

The DGP, however, appealed to the people not to panic. “The prevailing situation requires a revamp of the entire set-up. I will chalk out a comprehensive plan and submit it to the chief minister for implementation as soon as possible,” he said.

The plan includes increasing the strength of police personnel at all police stations and outposts, setting up of more police stations in crime-prone areas and introduction of round-the-clock mobile police patrol in the city.

“The existing strength of 13 personnel at a police station hardly meets the need. The system is almost 50 years old. Most of the police stations are headed by a sub-inspector, though the officer-in-charge should be of inspector rank. All these aspects will be looked into while making the proposal,” he said.

The whole idea, the DGP said, was to ultimately make investigations more effective. “In dealing with day-to-day law and order problems, the state police hardly find time for investigations.”

Police commando units, specially trained for combating militancy, were being engaged in tracking down petty criminals due to shortage of policemen, he said.

The increased vigil had reduced infiltration of militants into the city, he added.