2004 Bomb Blasts trial: Another Defendant dies in jail

It has been a year now since police filed charges in court against nine people accused of complicity in the 2004 Dimapur twin blasts. Initially, ten suspects were rounded up by the SIT probing the blasts. However now, only eight remain. One of the accused passed away in April of this year whereas the other had reportedly committed suicide while in police custody in 2010.

The accused who passed away in April 2014, identified as Hukum Ali, died of natural causes in jail, the Jail Authority informed. The officiating in-charge of Jails, Nagaland, ADGP (Ops), Lungriading stated on May 20 that as per the report, Ali died at the Sub-jail in Dimapur in February following an illness. Post mortem could not be conducted due to his family’s refusal, it was informed. The deceased Ali, according to the report filed by the SIT, was the leader of the group that planted the bomb at the railway station in October 2, 2004.

Meanwhile, court hearing of the case is yet to go past the witness examination stage. A hearing on May 20 had the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur and the Investigating Officer deposing as the prosecution witnesses at the District Sessions court. Prosecution witnesses failing to turn up at hearings are slowing the pace of the trial. As many as 23 witnesses are set to be examined as the trial progresses.