DIMAPUR, APRIL 20 (MExN): A mugging attempt that went awry, two persons (or rather the victims) ended up with a barrage of blows falling prey to a case of mistaken identity. The incident occurred on April 17 and had gone unreported. In the backdrop of a police officer in Delhi getting suspended for slapping women, who were protesting over the rape of a five year-old, the following account will have the state police higher-ups cringing with embarrassment.
As narrated by one of the victims, James Konyak, on the evening of April 17, he and his friend were coming down the railway foot-bridge towards Hongkong Market when a man attempted to snatch away their bag. Konyak said that they were headed home after alighting at the station from Mariani, Assam.
The attempted bag-snatching event failed with the two friends resisting the mugger. However, before they could subdue the mugger, more people, said to be the mugger’s accomplices came to his rescue. Sensing grave danger to their lives, they took to the heels running towards the Police Assistance Booth, below the New Flyover at ‘rail gate’, said Konyak.
But it did not stop there as they were chased. As they were running towards the safety of security personnel patrolling below the New Flyover, cries of “chor! chor!” were heard behind them, Konyak said. The alarm was allegedly raised by the muggers who were after them.
The commotion alerted the IRB personnel, who intercepted them. The security personnel then started raining blows on them without even bothering to question them or ascertain the facts, Konyak alleged. In the melee, the mugger, who first attempted to rob them, was also apprehended.
All three were taken to the police station, and spent a night in the lock-up.
The two friends were bailed out only the next day. When the doubts were cleared it was later learned that the mugger who tried to rob them usually shuttles between Dimapur and Diphu by train, Konyak added. What happened to the alleged mugger could not be ascertained.
Expressing unhappiness at the conduct of the security personnel, Konyak said that they could have, at the least, first tried to ascertain the facts. He said that he dislocated a finger while his friend sustained bruises to the knee inflicted by rifle butts, for no fault on their part. “My younger brother passed away in 2010 and his kids are being looked after by me. If something happens to me, can the IRB take responsibility of my family? I’m not warning them but as a concerned citizen I want to reach out to the people to raise their voice against this kind of untoward behaviour,” said Konyak, who is a struggling Nagamese film director.
