Alert sounded after arrested gangster claims of taking ‘contract’ to kill Nagaland politician

Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 18

The arrest of a wanted gangster in Lucknow, UP has send alarm bells ringing in Nagaland after the accused told police interrogators that he had also taken a contract to kill a politician in Nagaland after the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls. 

As per media reports, the accused- Vijay Farmana (29 years) was wanted by the Delhi Police and Haryana Police for murder, rape, attempt to murder and carjacking. 

A report carried by the Hindustan Times (HT) said that Farmana was arrested on May 15 by the Delhi Police. It quoted the Delhi Police as stating that Farmana and two other associates were reportedly given Rs. 80 lakhs and a Ford Endeavour for the ‘job’. 

“During interrogation, Farmana has said that in April this year, he and his associates Sharad Pandey and Kapil Chitania went to Nagaland and accepted a contract to kill a politician, but did not reveal who had paid for the hit job,” the HT report quoted G Ram Gopal Naik, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Delhi as stating. With the arrest making the news, the Nagaland Police went on alert, while the Nagaland Police Headquarters hurriedly assembled a team of officers to follow up on the case.  

The Nagaland Police chief DGP T John Longkumer when contacted by The Morung Express on the security measures taken as a result of the perceived threat said that alert has been sounded across the state and state government properties outside the state.  

He informed that officers headed by the IGP (Int) have been detailed to review the existing security cover provided to the state legislators and other VIPs. According to the DGP, security officers have been directed to immediately visit the residences of all MLAs and report back to him about the security arrangement.  

Normally, the security details provided to political VIPs in India are categorized as Z+, Z, Y and X with SPG category being the topmost and reserved only for the current and former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.  

Longkumer further informed that the state NAP unit stationed in Delhi has been directed to augment security in the Nagaland House, Delhi and another run by the state government.    

He added that the state police team detailed to Delhi will coordinate with the Delhi Police for “joint interrogation and investigation,” he added. 

State political figures react

The opposition NPF was among the first to react within the state’s political circles with the Leader of Opposition TR Zeliang taking to Twitter urging the Nagaland state government "to coordinate with the @DelhiPolice in unearthing the truth behind” the arrested gangster’s claim. Chief Secretary Temjen Toy responded by tweeting, “A team of senior Police Officers from Nagaland led by an IG is proceeding to Delhi tomorrow (May 19). Meanwhile, security measures have been enhanced.” 

In a separate statement, Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for constituting a committee for “carrying out an impartial inquiry.” The Dy CM, who holds the Home portfolio, further directed the Nagaland Police to coordinate with its counterparts in Delhi to get into the details of the case. 

The NDPP in a statement maintained that the information revealed by the arrested gangster “needs to be investigated” and brought to a logical conclusion.