Meghalaya: NEIGRIHMS requests CAPF deployment after mob breach led by HYC

The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, has urgently requested the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to deploy Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) following a security breach involving members of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC).

In an official communication dated April 22, 2025, NEIGRIHMS Deputy Director (Admn), Pawan Deep, reported a serious incident that occurred on April 4, when a group of 50–100 individuals, allegedly led by the HYC, forcibly entered the Institute’s Administrative Block.

The mob reportedly overpowered on-site security personnel, entered the Director's office, locked doors, and disrupted operations across several departments. “They compelled staff to vacate their offices,” the letter stated, adding that the group ignored warnings and breached restricted areas in an attempt to confront the Institute's Director.

The incident was triggered by opposition to a recruitment advertisement issued by the Institute in January 2025, which outlined an 80:20 female-to-male ratio for Nursing Officer appointments. The HYC had previously submitted a representation against this advertisement and issued a seven-day ultimatum, culminating in the April 4 confrontation. According to NEIGRIHMS, a response to the group's concerns had been finalised and delivered on the same day as the protest.

The Institute has since lodged an FIR against the organisation. A letter from the Chief Security Officer, cited as Annexure-III, described the event as part of a recurring pattern: “This is not an isolated incident... similar disturbances involving the same organisation and others have occurred previously.”

NEIGRIHMS expressed concern over its current reliance on unarmed, outsourced security personnel and warned that the existing arrangements are inadequate to manage high-risk situations. “The Institute is vulnerable, posing significant risks to the safety of staff, officers, visitors, and Institute property,” the letter emphasised.

The administration has formally requested the immediate deployment of CAPF personnel “at strategic and vulnerable points” within the premises to prevent future incidents and ensure uninterrupted functioning.