Village council alleges abduction
Dimapur, April 14 (MExN): A man from Sotokur village, Tuensang district remains untraced after going missing on April 11. The missing man, identified by the Sotokur Village Council (SVC) as one S. Kumcho, was serving as the Mission Secretary of the Sotokur Baptist Church and a former chairman of the Village Education Committee.
The SVC, in a press release, citing circumstantial evidence alleged it to be a case of abduction. According to the SVC, the man was abducted “by some unidentified miscreants about two and half KM ahead of Helipong junction on April 11… while he was on his way to Tuensang on church duty on his motor cycle.”
An FIR was lodged in the evening at Tuensang Police Station after it was learned that the man did not reach Tuensang. Subsequently, search party was mobilised headed by the district administration and the police, the SVC said. During the search, the missing man’s motor-cycle and helmet were found allegedly pushed off below the side of the road.
Search for the man entered the third day on April 14 without success. Quoting eyewitness reports of the search operation, the SVC cited sightings of signs purportedly indicating that the victim was taken beyond a river (unnamed) below the road near which the motor-cycle was found. “However, the search volunteers were not allowed by police personnel to cross and search beyond the river.”
While appreciating the response of the administration and the police, the SVC urged the Nagaland State government to intensify the search operation. The SVC further appealed the neighbouring villages to assist the search operation. The Tuensang Police could not be reached to comment on the incident.
