KOHIMA — Nagaland's Director General of Police
(DGP), Rupin Sharma, on Thursday said that the state has been ‘very successful’
in combating extortion, while also stating that the public is not willing to
share information.
He made the remarks while interacting with school students
at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Kohima, where Sparkplugs presented the
Catalyst Address in collaboration with Nagaland Police— with Sharma as the
speaker.
The DGP attributed the public reluctance to share
information to fear, stating that the projection of fear is what actually
constitutes fear, even though citizens are fed up with extortion.
He highlighted an initiative by the police for civilians to
report any anti-social elements through a mobile app, which did not yield the
desired results in the state, except in Dimapur, where NGOs and some civil
societies made concerted efforts.
Sharma claimed that Nagaland Police personnel are
well-equipped to handle any challenges and that police were successful in
acting on 90-95% of the information they received, despite limitations in
resources.
He encouraged students not to be afraid to travel—whether
for personal reasons, studies, or work—to gain experience and broaden their
thinking through interactions with others, noting that everyone has different
values, thoughts, and perspectives.
Sharma also reflected on his journey from Himachal Pradesh
to Punjab and now to Nagaland, highlighting the differences and, at the same
time, similarities, which he said should be cherished.
He noted that despite Nagaland being small in size, both
similarities and dissimilarities are important. He stressed the need to
acknowledge dissimilarities as part of nature, while similarities, which
sometimes are man-made, are essential for societal unity.
He warned against stereotyping people or forming opinions
based on assumptions, as there are lessons to be learnt through interaction.
Sharma emphasised the importance of students asking
questions, saying that questioning is not wrong and helps improve knowledge and
dialogue, enabling them to unlock their potential.
He observed that Nagaland is currently in a dynamic,
fast-paced transition, which many people are struggling to understand due to
historical reasons. He added that answers to these confusions will come through
discussion and dialogue.
“A problem is not the end of life; a problem is the
beginning of the solution,” the DGP stated. He encouraged students to take
challenges positively and strive to do better in life.
For students aspiring to appear for civil services, he
advised them to start preparing early rather than waiting until after
completing their studies.
He also told the students that a mobile phone is a powerful
tool to gain knowledge and exhorted them to make the best use of it while also
gaining the trust of their parents.
