Dimapur, March 18 (MExN): In view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled in Nagaland on April 19, the Commissioner of Police and District Magistrate of Dimapur have issued an order prohibiting any person from carrying arms or any other articles designed or adopted as weapons for offense or defense in their possession within the districts of Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland with immediate effect.
Arms include firearms, machetes or daos, clubs, spears, explosives, and catapults, elaborated in the order issued by the District Magistrate and CP Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, under Section 144A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The order is in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India regarding preventive action to ensure peaceful, free, and fair polling during the General Election and passed ex-parte due to emergent exigencies and shall remain in force until further notice, it added.
Direction to licensed arm holders
Meanwhile, in another order, the District Magistrate Kevithuto Sophie directed all licensed arm holders in Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland Districts to deposit their licensed arms and ammunition at the nearest Police Station on or before March 30.
The arms and ammunition deposited will be kept in police custody until one week after the declaration of the result, it said.
The officer-in-charge of the respective police station was also directed to issue a receipt to each depositor and maintain proper records and safe custody of the arms/ammunition.
Failure to comply with this order shall lead to the cancellation of the Arms Licence and other penal action as per the provisions of the law, the order added.
District Magistrate Mokokchung informs
The DC and District Magistrate Mokokchung, Thsuvisie Phoji has instructed the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct with immediate effect and directed to all concerned, especially those villages/inhabitants residing in the border areas of the Nagaland and Assam border that the carrying of any fire arms, including Air-Guns shall remain restricted in Mokokchung district with immediate effect till the declaration of the election result.
Failure to adhere to the above directive shall be liable to penal action as per relevant section of the law, the order added.
Further, the District Magistrate Mokokchung also issued Prohibitory orders under section 144Cr.P.C, 1973 banning the carrying of licensed arms since announcement of election till the declaration of results.
It further directed ex-parte all the arms licence holders under Mokokchung district to deposit their Arms Licence along with weapon at the nearest police station as per the address given in the licence on or before March 30.
The respective Officer-In- charge of the police stations shall furnish a detailed report on such deposit and seizure. Failure to submit the arms Licence and weapon within the stipulated time shall be liable to penal action as per relevant section of the law, it stated.
