It is quite astonishing and agonising that nowhere in the print media we find the names of the two security personnel who sacrificed their lives while protecting Nagaland Chief Minister S. C. Jamir, who survived yet another attempt, the fourth till now on his life by the militants on November 29 last. All the press reports, after the assassination attempt, simply said that Mr. Jamir miraculously escaped a bid on his life while two policemen accompanying him were killed.

A similar kind of incident, where the sacrifices of security personnel were grossly ignored came to light few months ago during the Kargil conflict too. A horde of VVIPs including the Governor and the Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, were waiting at the Imphal airport to receive the mortal remains of a soldier died in Kargil. In the other corner of the airport, the coffin containing the body of another security personnel, who was killed by the militants, was lying virtually unattended. The VIPs present at the airport did not bother to pay respects to the deceased. All the attention was devoted to the martyr of Kargil, wishfully showing the cold shoulder to the equally important sacrifice of the slain CRPF jawan.

With due respect to the brave jawans, who laid down their lives at the high altitudes of Kargil and Dras for the sake of unity and integrity of the country, indifference towards the sacrifices of the security personnel made during the anti-insurgency operations elsewhere in the country is highly improper and uncalled for. For their deeds are no less valiant.

Life of a security personnel engaged in anti-insurgency operation is equally tough. They cannot go all out to finish militants unlike the Army jawans. And their fight is waged not against the enemies of the country, but with the misguided youths, their own brothers. While the undergrounds use all the armours in their weaponry as witnessed in recent attacks on the security personnel, the latter cannot do so as it will tantamount to violation of human rights. Thus the paramilitary forces have to work with more constraints and little freedom than the Army, though the task is same i.e. safeguarding the unity and integrity of the country.

Besides, as former director general of police of Nagaland Chaman Lal, who is well known for his role in militancy-ridden Punjab, on the suggestion of strengthening the Nagaland police once pointed out that providing more firepowers to the police and paramilitary forces would not work until ensuring full security to the families of these personnel as the ultras were always on the look-out for soft targets to de-moralise the security personnel.

It is unfortunate that, even after being aware of all such constraints, we always tend to forget the sacrifices of the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations. The personal security officer of Mr. Jamir was lucky as the Nagaland Chief Minister admitted that a timely action by one of his body guards in taking him in a nearby crater, saved his life. But others are not so lucky but their sacrifices were not duly acknowledged.