Kohima, November 7 (MExN): The Lüruri Students’ Union (LSU) has condemned the November 4 incident at the house of Shaphongtsü, President of Lüruri Development Council (a combined council of Sütsü and Laruri villages).
A press release from LSU general secretary, Lemsangthvü K and president, Asethvü G alleged that one ‘Major’ Lopong of GPRN/NSCN from Mimi village on November 4 at 11:54 pm came armed and with a personal guard on an unregistered motorbike and knocked on Shaphongtsü’s house at Sütsü village. “He continuously banged on the door calling Shaphongtsü by name. As he did not get any reply he became wild and kicked the bed room and other rooms where Shaphongtsü’s tenants lived,” it added.
In the meantime, he was surrounded by the villagers but escaped. Later, he was stopped at Laruri village by the Village Guards. However, he escaped under the cover of darkness into the thick jungle after firing several rounds of bullets. In retaliation, angry mob from Sütsü village who had followed him fired blank rounds in the air and destroyed Lopong’s motorbike, according to the release.
Stating that Lopong is now a threat to Lüruri (the people of Sütsü and Laruri villages), LSU further claimed that “taking advantage of possessing arms in the name of nation/national worker, he is prowling around and threatening the innocent public in his own self style.”
LSU further said that on October 13, one truck had “illegally loaded” smuggled pinewood from the “encroached area” of Lüruri and was therefore made to unload at Sütsü local ground. The release stated that the pinewood was smuggled by Züngküm, who was asked to appear in the office of the LDC. “Whereupon, ‘Maj’ Lopong, out of nowhere interfered and claimed that the pinewood belongs to him which we noticed his claim to be fishy and that it could jeopardize the peaceful co-existence between the Lüruri and Mimi villages.” Hence, the LDC refused to hand over the seized item to Maj. Lopong. Meanwhile, Lopong claimed over phone that he purchased the pinewood from Züngküm and made threatening statements to the LDC office bearers, the release alleged.
On October 13, according to the release, Lopong called Shaphongtsü, president, and R.K. Thexiri, general secretary of LDC and threatened them to take their lives. “On October 23 and 27, ‘Maj’ Lopong threatened to come and kill the two leaders within a couple of days. He also stated over the phone to the President LDC that he had come to Sütsü with the intention of fulfilling his threat to R.K. Thexiri…Life threatening statement was again made on November 1,” the release claimed. “On October 29 and November 1, he remarked that he will bomb and destroy the Tiho (Tizü) river bridge which connects Phek and Kiphire districts.”
Lopong also threatened that no truck with pinewood be allowed to cross the Tiho (Tizu) bridge, LSU added. It stated that Lopong has been making dangerous statements continuously.
In light of the above, Lüruri Students’ Union has called upon all the right thinking Nagas to condemn such action of the cadre and at the same time urged upon the authorities concerned of the State government and the NPG he is affiliated to, to take immediate action against Lopong at the earliest to enable peace and cordial relationship to prevail between Lüruri and Mimi villagers.
