Gallantry award winner cop excels in lockdown service

IMPHAL: From giving financial assistance, carrying potato bags on his back to ensuring smooth flow of essentials, Kangpokpi Police Station OC Maibam Khogen Singh has been relentlessly providing yeoman service during the ongoing lockdown. Such is his devotion for duty that he attended the funeral of his younger brother, who died last month, only for a few hours and resumed work.
A disciplined police officer, Khogen on Sunday provided monetary assistance of Rs 200 each and personal protection equipment like masks to over 30 poor labourers, mostly migrants, at the district headquarters of Kangpokpi.The labourers are working overtime in loading and unloading PDS rice and other essential items meant for distribution among people.
“The aid I am providing to the labourers is too small compared to the great service they are providing us in these hard times. I wish them good health. I’m happy to serve the people in these trying times,” said Khogen, a resident of Khudrakpam Awang Leikai area in Imphal East.
During lockdown relaxation hours, Khogen had helped shoppers coming to buy essential commodities at Kangpokpi town by carrying potato bags on his back to avoid crowding at the market.
Khogen’s exemplary contribution and services for the poor has earned praise from many quarters and even top leaders of the country. Knowing about Khogen’s good work on the social media, Gen (Retd) VK Singh, MoS for road transport and highways, Anurag Thakur, MoS for finance, chief minister N Biren Singh, social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen, people of Kangpokpi and police officials heaped praises on him. Khogen also received a call from Union MoS for home G Kishan Reddy.
The inspector, under the overall supervision of SP Hemant Pandey, carried out a public campaign asking people to maintain social distancing and follow the guidelines to prevent spread of coronavirus. Besides monitoring the movement of vehicles at the town along the Imphal-Dimapur highway, Khogen plays a key role in dousing forest fires with the district’s fire service unit. His team is also busy in detaining people who violate curfew and lockdown.
Khogen was decorated with the President’s medal for gallantry in 2001. In July, 2002, suspected rebels launched an IED attack on his vehicle in Bishnupur district when he was the officer-in-charge of a commando unit of the district. His driver was killed and Khogen was seriously injured. He was bed-ridden for a year and then joined duty.