Dimapur, September 19 (MExN): The Office of the Director General of Police Nagaland today issued a rejoinder to the volley of news report appearing in the media about the alleged assault by Nagaland police on agitating students on NH 39 under Golaghat district. IGP (HQR) ST Sangtam who is also the PRO has termed the media reports as “concocted and one sided”. Instead the PRO pointed out that in spite of all the “insults heaped upon them the police personnel in the convoy did not retaliate but firmly opened a passage for the vehicles to pass through”. Explaining in detail about what happened on that day, the PRO informed that as the police convoy proceeded to break through the blocked road, the students, apparently suspecting that the police party would use force, fled from the scene. “As result they fled from the scene, some of the protestors’ pelted stones at the convoy as a result of which the windshield of vehicle no NL-11-1463 (Mini Bus) was broken and one of the UTP escort personnel was hit above the right eyebrow. On reaching Dimapur, he was evacuated to Zion Hospital, Dimapur. He is now reportedly out of danger”, stated the PRO.
The Nagaland Police statement claimed that while the IR Coy of NAP with six vehicles under the command of an Assistant Commandant was being held up by the 100-150 student protestors, the convoys of BSF and CRPF which were proceeding from Dimapur towards Golaghat side, were allowed to go. The Assistant Commandant tried his level best to persuade the protestors on the road to allow the Nagaland convoy to pass through as they had already allowed the BSF and CRPF convoys to pass through. The PRO also stated that the protestors were informed of the nature of duty for which the convoy was proceeding i.e. security duty for the Vice President of India.
The protestors were also reminded of the exemptions on police, CPFs, Army, Press and Medical personnel from the purview of different bandh in other agitations.
After about 45 minutes, it was informed that a UTP escort party proceeding to Dimapur also reached the spot. The escort commander on seeing the “unattended agitation” contacted the OC of the Golaghat Police Station and apprised him of the position, according to the PRO. The OC reportedly informed the party that he would be arriving. However even after a lapse of over one and a half hour, neither the OC nor ant other local police turned up, the PRO stated. By then one Gypsy vehicle carrying a BSF Deputy Commandant also reached the spot and was allowed to pass through by the agitators.
Meanwhile, according to the PRO the students instead of relenting to the request of officers and men started shouting against the Nagaland Police with the slogan of “Nagaland Police Mordabad”. On seeing the situation turning into an anti Nagaland police agitation the Commander of the party tool the decision to leave the area in order to avoid further unwanted situation that may develop out of the unreasonable attitude of the agitators.
The PRO also informed that the convoy was detained for over two hours and in spite of passing the information about the road blockage on the NH 39 to the OC PS Golaghat, the local police did not turn up even after one and a half hours. The PRO also stated that it had been confirmed from the SP Golaghat that the AASU local unit with local public had suddenly resorted to road blockade at Murphilonni Tini Ali NH 39 and had stopped plying of traffic without any prior intimation to the District administration at 11 am on September 15, 2010.
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