Dimapur | September 17: A meeting held to assess the security of Dimapur called for concrete steps to speed up the formation of the long proposed ‘community police’. The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Imkong L Imchen Saturday, September 17 at the district Deputy Commissioner’s office. MLAs Azheto Zhimomi and Toshipokba were also in attendance. Today is the second time, in a space of two months; the Home Minister himself has convened such a conference.
Security meeting focus on modalities; CCTV cameras proposed yet again
Well attended by district administration officials led by the DC and the police led by the Superintendent of Police; as well as the civil society, the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry and other frontal business organizations – the meeting again discussed what has already been deliberated. Kidnapping and extortion was very much a part of the discussions, yet today the focus was more on working out modalities to take on crime.
“If we could establish community policing, I’m very certain the security situation of Dimapur will definitely improve,” said Imchen. This idea of involving the community in policing had already been proposed back in 2009 and apparently had taken shape in some localities but never took off in the way it was envisaged. Nevertheless, a proposal to constitute a committee to work out modalities for the formation of community police was agreed in the meeting. If it does take shape, it will have the DC as convenor and representatives from the DEF, the district administration, DCCI & other business bodies, Naga Council Dimapur, GBs union as members.
On kidnappings and extortions, Imchen said that in many cases the aggrieved families are not cooperative enough to come forward with information. This he said is “very unfortunate” and not helping matters for the police to catch the criminals. He did acknowledge the threats and intimidations that people receive in such instances, yet it does not mean that a complaint is not made. “Extortionists are not nationalists, they’re simply criminals”, he said.
Other issues that came up for discussion were the installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable locations, stringent actions to monitor the issuance of pre-paid SIM cards and setting up of more police check gates along the border with Karbi Anglong.
MLA & Advisor Azheto Zhimomi proposed that more police check gates be set in the outer periphery of Dimapur. He suggested some locations like Niuland, Thahekhu village towards Rangapahar Rail crossing and other porous entry points to Dimapur where check gates are required. The authority to remove or set up police check gates wherever necessary rests on the district police chief, Imchen supplemented. Zhimomi, further requested the business community to be more cooperative instead of only pressuring the authorities for action. If the proposal to install CCTV cameras takes shape, it will be the second time that it is being done so. A prominent businessman brought to notice that a sum of Rs. 200 each was already collected from business establishments back in 2009 for this purpose by the DMC.
However, it never saw the light of day. On the topic of clandestinely procured pre-paid SIM cards used for criminal activity, the Home Minister suggested that the DC and the SP take the lead in coordinating with the service providers. After a lull, since the mass verification drive conducted by the telecom authorities in the beginning of the year, pre-paid SIM cards obtained under fictitious names and addresses have emerged again.
Extortion, kidnapping, arrests and demoralising ‘court bail’
After all has been said, the battle against crime – primarily kidnapping and extortion in Dimapur’s case – hits an imposing brick wall in the form of the legal loophole known as ‘Bail’, a demoralizing factor indeed for the police. Accused criminals, one way or the other manages to find a way out in the court, only to continue with their criminal activities; much to the dejection of the investigators, the complainants as well as the public. Community policing and CCTV cameras might act as helpful tools in helping the police catch the criminals, but all the efforts will go to void if the investigators are not able to prepare a rock-solid charge-sheet against the person or people concerned. It is but left to the moral judgment of all concerned how criminals go scot free after arrest.
Kidnapped boy released
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 17 (MExN): A schoolboy, who was kidnapped for ransom on September 15 from Sachu colony, Dimapur was released unharmed on Saturday. According to a press statement from the police, the boy – Tushar Mehra, a class ten student of Kedriya Vidyalaya – called up his parents today at around 3:00 pm from Bokajan. He told his parents that he was released by the kidnappers near Bokajan Railway Station. A team of Dimapur police went and fetched the boy, who according to the police statement was found in a dazed and confused state. A medical examination of the boy established that no physical harm was done to the boy.
Initially, a ransom of Rs. 50 lakh was demanded by the kidnappers, it was reported. According to the statement from the police, the family of the boy denied negotiating or paying any amount to secure the release of the boy. “However, Dimapur police is continuing with the investigation and are hopeful of making a breakthrough and securing the arrest of the culprits involved in the case.”
On kidnappings and extortions, Imchen said that in many cases the aggrieved families are not cooperative enough to come forward with information. This he said is “very unfortunate” and not helping matters for the police to catch the criminals. He did acknowledge the threats and intimidations that people receive in such instances, yet it does not mean that a complaint is not made. “Extortionists are not nationalists, they’re simply criminals”, he said.
Other issues that came up for discussion were the installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable locations, stringent actions to monitor the issuance of pre-paid SIM cards and setting up of more police check gates along the border with Karbi Anglong.
MLA & Advisor Azheto Zhimomi proposed that more police check gates be set in the outer periphery of Dimapur. He suggested some locations like Niuland, Thahekhu village towards Rangapahar Rail crossing and other porous entry points to Dimapur where check gates are required. The authority to remove or set up police check gates wherever necessary rests on the district police chief, Imchen supplemented. Zhimomi, further requested the business community to be more cooperative instead of only pressuring the authorities for action. If the proposal to install CCTV cameras takes shape, it will be the second time that it is being done so. A prominent businessman brought to notice that a sum of Rs. 200 each was already collected from business establishments back in 2009 for this purpose by the DMC.
However, it never saw the light of day. On the topic of clandestinely procured pre-paid SIM cards used for criminal activity, the Home Minister suggested that the DC and the SP take the lead in coordinating with the service providers. After a lull, since the mass verification drive conducted by the telecom authorities in the beginning of the year, pre-paid SIM cards obtained under fictitious names and addresses have emerged again.
Extortion, kidnapping, arrests and demoralising ‘court bail’
After all has been said, the battle against crime – primarily kidnapping and extortion in Dimapur’s case – hits an imposing brick wall in the form of the legal loophole known as ‘Bail’, a demoralizing factor indeed for the police. Accused criminals, one way or the other manages to find a way out in the court, only to continue with their criminal activities; much to the dejection of the investigators, the complainants as well as the public. Community policing and CCTV cameras might act as helpful tools in helping the police catch the criminals, but all the efforts will go to void if the investigators are not able to prepare a rock-solid charge-sheet against the person or people concerned. It is but left to the moral judgment of all concerned how criminals go scot free after arrest.
Kidnapped boy released
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 17 (MExN): A schoolboy, who was kidnapped for ransom on September 15 from Sachu colony, Dimapur was released unharmed on Saturday. According to a press statement from the police, the boy – Tushar Mehra, a class ten student of Kedriya Vidyalaya – called up his parents today at around 3:00 pm from Bokajan. He told his parents that he was released by the kidnappers near Bokajan Railway Station. A team of Dimapur police went and fetched the boy, who according to the police statement was found in a dazed and confused state. A medical examination of the boy established that no physical harm was done to the boy.
Initially, a ransom of Rs. 50 lakh was demanded by the kidnappers, it was reported. According to the statement from the police, the family of the boy denied negotiating or paying any amount to secure the release of the boy. “However, Dimapur police is continuing with the investigation and are hopeful of making a breakthrough and securing the arrest of the culprits involved in the case.”
