The Sikkim government has established two police ranges to better tackle law and order which, of late, has taken a turn for the worse with growing crimes and violence.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the Sikkim personnel department said the two ranges headed by the officers of the rank of deputy inspector general of police (DIGP) were being set up at the direction of chief minister P. S. Tamang (Golay).

Earlier, there was only one range headquartered at Gangtok for the entire state. Now, apart from the Gangtok range, the state will have the Namchi range with its headquarters at Jorethang in Namchi district.

“This will certainly improve (the) law and order situation in the state as well as (it being) one of the major police administrative reform(s) since the establishment of Sikkim Police,” said an official release.

Wile B. K. Tamang, a 2006 batch IPS officer, has been appointed DIGP Namchi Range, Tashi Wangyal, a 2008 batch IPS officer, will be the new DIGP Gangtok Range.

The police have drawn a lot of flak in the last few months for allegedly being lax in dealing with law and order problems.

Tashi Wangyal(right).

Sikkim has a reputation of being one of the most peaceful states in the country.

Over the past few months, there have been a number of incidents of crime and violence, including murder, assault, arson and political violence.

Former chief minister and Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) president Pawan Chamling was also at the receiving end of a violent incident.

On Tuesday, a woman was seriously injured in an attack by her former cook at Singtam in Gangtok district.