Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): The Naga Council of Dimapur is expressing concern that Dimapur is gradually turning into a breeding ground for crime and criminals as well as becoming a place where land-grabbers and encroachment are coming to the fore.
The Naga Council issued a statement today denouncing the recent trespass and harassment of a Forest officer over issues related to encroachment in Rangapahar reserved park and the other, the recent abduction of a school child studying in Holitoli School in Dimapur.
The recent ‘assault of the wife’ and criminal trespass into the official residence of Forest Ranger by “criminal elements in the form of encroachers” is an insult to the people of Nagaland, the Naga Council said. The organization has appealed to the police and the district administration to arrest the culprits at the earliest to set an example.
“In the chequered history of our state, thousands of hectares of reserved forests have been lost to encroachers but it is witnessed that none of these people have been brought to book so far. This is also the right time for the Forest department to pull up its socks too. (The council) appeals to the department to demolish the unauthorized ‘cemetery’ inside the park which remains to be a bone of contention,” the council said. The statement was appended by the council’s general secretary Ntsemo Ngullie and finance secretary Joel Nillo Kath.
In this connection, the council said the Naga Hoho, Forest department, NMA, NSF and Naga Council and many other organizations have in the year 2005 pledged support to the establishment of the zoo and protection of forest land at Rangapahar.
“We still standby this pledge and urge the government to involve the civil society as long-term partners in its ventures of building and protecting public utility centers rather than do away with just a one-time invitation to inaugural functions. The pattern of public involvement can be modeled by experts which should give a direct bearing of public responsibility over mass utility centers,” the council said.
The Naga Council also expressed deep shock that a schoolboy, Ankush Jha, student of Hollotoli School was kidnapped by anti-social elements on September 3. “Naga Council is pained to learn that Dimapur has become a breeding ground for all sorts of criminal activities. It appeals to the state government to enact stringent laws to deal with rampant extortions and kidnappings which our archaic IPC is inadequate to deal with. There are many legal loopholes in the IPC which professional criminals exploit albeit with much outside help,” the organization said.
The organization condemned the ‘senseless criminal act’ and appeal to the kidnappers to release the innocent schoolboy unharmed and unconditionally. “Children are innocent victims of a harsh world and all right thinking citizens must come forward to protect the children, fight the menace of anti-social activities which has once again put the commercial hub into a state of alarm. The act of kidnapping, extortion, killing or blackmailing are a blot and aberration on Naga culture and our State for which we should leave no room for its existence,” the council said.
In other matters, the organization expressed deepest appreciation to the Forum for Naga Reconciliation for the “reconciliation wrought” between the different Naga “political” groups culminating in the signing of “Naga Concordant”. The council is happy that three groups, namely NSCN/GPRN, GPRN/NSCN and NNC/FGN agreed in principle to form “one Naga national government.”
This is a ‘tangible result of the hard work brought about by FNR at great risk to its credibility. With the blessing of God Almighty, we hope the challenges ahead shall be overcome in the larger interest of all concerned,’ the organization added.
The Naga Council issued a statement today denouncing the recent trespass and harassment of a Forest officer over issues related to encroachment in Rangapahar reserved park and the other, the recent abduction of a school child studying in Holitoli School in Dimapur.
The recent ‘assault of the wife’ and criminal trespass into the official residence of Forest Ranger by “criminal elements in the form of encroachers” is an insult to the people of Nagaland, the Naga Council said. The organization has appealed to the police and the district administration to arrest the culprits at the earliest to set an example.
“In the chequered history of our state, thousands of hectares of reserved forests have been lost to encroachers but it is witnessed that none of these people have been brought to book so far. This is also the right time for the Forest department to pull up its socks too. (The council) appeals to the department to demolish the unauthorized ‘cemetery’ inside the park which remains to be a bone of contention,” the council said. The statement was appended by the council’s general secretary Ntsemo Ngullie and finance secretary Joel Nillo Kath.
In this connection, the council said the Naga Hoho, Forest department, NMA, NSF and Naga Council and many other organizations have in the year 2005 pledged support to the establishment of the zoo and protection of forest land at Rangapahar.
“We still standby this pledge and urge the government to involve the civil society as long-term partners in its ventures of building and protecting public utility centers rather than do away with just a one-time invitation to inaugural functions. The pattern of public involvement can be modeled by experts which should give a direct bearing of public responsibility over mass utility centers,” the council said.
The Naga Council also expressed deep shock that a schoolboy, Ankush Jha, student of Hollotoli School was kidnapped by anti-social elements on September 3. “Naga Council is pained to learn that Dimapur has become a breeding ground for all sorts of criminal activities. It appeals to the state government to enact stringent laws to deal with rampant extortions and kidnappings which our archaic IPC is inadequate to deal with. There are many legal loopholes in the IPC which professional criminals exploit albeit with much outside help,” the organization said.
The organization condemned the ‘senseless criminal act’ and appeal to the kidnappers to release the innocent schoolboy unharmed and unconditionally. “Children are innocent victims of a harsh world and all right thinking citizens must come forward to protect the children, fight the menace of anti-social activities which has once again put the commercial hub into a state of alarm. The act of kidnapping, extortion, killing or blackmailing are a blot and aberration on Naga culture and our State for which we should leave no room for its existence,” the council said.
In other matters, the organization expressed deepest appreciation to the Forum for Naga Reconciliation for the “reconciliation wrought” between the different Naga “political” groups culminating in the signing of “Naga Concordant”. The council is happy that three groups, namely NSCN/GPRN, GPRN/NSCN and NNC/FGN agreed in principle to form “one Naga national government.”
This is a ‘tangible result of the hard work brought about by FNR at great risk to its credibility. With the blessing of God Almighty, we hope the challenges ahead shall be overcome in the larger interest of all concerned,’ the organization added.
Kidnapped boy “released”
Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): The class-IV student of Hollotoli School in Dimapur, Ankush Jha, who was kidnapped on September 3, has reportedly been “released” today. There are, however, conflicting versions of the event surrounding the reports about the student’s “release” including questions over payment of ransom.
According to reliable sources from the Dimapur police establishment, Jha was found at the Dimapur state stadium at 4:30 pm by another boy who was playing there. The student was found with his hands and feet tied, sources said. It is informed that the boy took Jha on a bicycle to the Police assistance booth at the Holy Cross Junction and handed the latter over to the police personnel there. The police later reached the student back to his parents, it is informed.
In the absence of official statement from the police about the case, various versions of the “release” abound. There are some who say the boy was released after ransom was paid by the parents. Sources said the boy’s parents are denying that any transaction was made in exchange for the boy’s release.
Dimapur, September 5 (MExN): The class-IV student of Hollotoli School in Dimapur, Ankush Jha, who was kidnapped on September 3, has reportedly been “released” today. There are, however, conflicting versions of the event surrounding the reports about the student’s “release” including questions over payment of ransom.
According to reliable sources from the Dimapur police establishment, Jha was found at the Dimapur state stadium at 4:30 pm by another boy who was playing there. The student was found with his hands and feet tied, sources said. It is informed that the boy took Jha on a bicycle to the Police assistance booth at the Holy Cross Junction and handed the latter over to the police personnel there. The police later reached the student back to his parents, it is informed.
In the absence of official statement from the police about the case, various versions of the “release” abound. There are some who say the boy was released after ransom was paid by the parents. Sources said the boy’s parents are denying that any transaction was made in exchange for the boy’s release.
