Shillong: Shillong’s premier medical institute, the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), has urgently sought intervention from the Union Health Ministry following a significant security lapse earlier this month. The Institute’s administration is requesting the immediate deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to safeguard its premises and personnel.
The formal plea, articulated in a letter dated April 22, 2025, from NEIGRIHMS Deputy Director (Admn) Pawan Deep, details an alarming episode that unfolded on April 4. On this date, a large group, estimated between 50 and 100 individuals and allegedly spearheaded by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), reportedly breached the security of the Institute’s Administrative Block.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the group overwhelmed the existing security detail and proceeded to forcibly enter the Director’s office. The disruption extended beyond this, with reports indicating that the group locked doors and compelled staff members across various departments to leave their workstations, effectively halting normal operations. The official communication further noted that the group disregarded warnings and transgressed into restricted zones in a purported attempt to confront the Institute’s Director.
The catalyst for this unrest appears to be a recruitment advertisement issued by NEIGRIHMS in January 2025. The advertisement specified an 80:20 ratio favouring female candidates for Nursing Officer positions, a criterion that drew the ire of the HYC. Prior to the incident, the organisation had submitted a formal representation opposing this recruitment policy and had issued a seven-day ultimatum. NEIGRIHMS stated that a response addressing the group’s concerns was finalised and delivered on the very day of the disruptive protest.
In the aftermath of the incident, NEIGRIHMS has taken legal recourse by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against the organisation involved. Reinforcing the gravity of the situation, a letter from the Chief Security Officer, referenced as Annexure-III, highlighted that this was not an isolated event. The letter pointed to a pattern of similar disturbances involving the same and other organisations in the past.
A key concern raised by NEIGRIHMS is the inadequacy of its current security arrangements, which rely on unarmed, outsourced personnel. The Institute conveyed its vulnerability, stressing that the existing security framework is ill-equipped to handle high-risk situations, thereby posing substantial threats to the safety and security of its staff, officers, visitors, and institutional property.
In light of these concerns and the recent security breach, the NEIGRIHMS administration has formally requested the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to urgently deploy CAPF personnel. The request specifies the strategic placement of these forces at vulnerable points within the Institute’s premises to act as a deterrent against future incidents and to ensure the continuous and undisturbed functioning of the vital healthcare institution.
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