DIMAPUR, JULY 10 (MExN): The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) has condemned the act of physical torture perpetrated upon its student members namely Mhakio Lotha, a student of Class 11 in St. Stephen’s Higher Secondary School, Dimapur and T. Luthong Tikhir of class 6 in Govt. High School Lengrijan by NSCN (IM) cadres under the command of CAO UT-1 on 7th July 2012 on the false allegation of stealing money from the residence of Mr. Imtiwati, Industrial Village Razuphe on 6th July.
According to a press note issued by DNSU President K. Mhachio Lotha and General Secretary Kambuiga Rongmei, the minors were picked up from their homes on Saturday last by the cadres as the owner of the house from where the money was stolen has filed a case in the court of CAO UT-1 based on the statement given by his domestic helper, a juvenile of 10 years.
“The severe wounds inflicted upon the two innocent students during interrogation do not befit the act of a national worker and deserves condemnation in the highest degree”, the press note stated adding that the DNSU cannot remain a silent spectator when its members are made to undergo such mental trauma and physical pain based on mere suspicion.
Besides, it condemned the act of Mr. Imtiwati, the owner of the house from where the cash was stolen for wrongly implicating the boys without ascertaining the veracity of the statement given by the domestic helper. “Such callous act on minor students has no room in a civilized society”, it stated and expressed dismay over this incident and appealed to the National workers to exercise extreme caution while dealing with the students.
In a separate press note, the Tikhir Students’ Union Dimapur (TSUD) has also come out strongly against the incident. The TSUD in the note condemned the act of one Imtiwati Ao “for accusing” the two students of stealing an amount of Rs. 4 lakh and subsequently handing over the two “to underground cadres” for retribution. “Both students were badly beaten. This is a violation of human rights,” the note said.
The TSUD stated that the students had denied the allegation made by a domestic help of Imtiwati Ao and clarified that the boys were in school at the time when the theft occurred. While stating that the two boys are innocent and had no hand in the theft, the union demanded the intervention of “the concerned law enforcing agency of both the government to take stern action against the defaulter.”
The theft had reportedly occurred on July 6 and the two boys were picked up by underground cadres, based on the accusation of the aforesaid Imtiwati Ao’s domestic help, the next day; and were released on July 8. They were beaten, for the crime they were accused of, while in the custody of the captors, it was learned.
