Kohima, November 21 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) has deplored the alleged assault of a truck driver by suspected NSCN (IM) cadres near Khuzama Excise check gate under Kohima district on November 20.
NVCO Press & Media Cell in a press release said the driver has been victimized “for no wrong of him but for money in the midst of highest level of negotiation for Naga solution by their leaders.”
NVCO added it was an insult to the Enquiry Committee to check illegal collection which was constituted by the District Administration. The Committee “has been working hard in co-ordination with Kohima District Truck Owners and Drivers’ Union (KDTODU) and NVCO to bring this menace an end,” it added.
It denounced the “day light robbery/extortion” which is an attempt to belittle the people of the area where the incident was “openly committed” without any due regard in the vicinity of the check-gate maintained by Nagaland Police and Excise.
It urged upon the District Administration and Police to arrest the accused at the earliest and impose stringent punishment so as not to allow such crime in the area in future.
“No one has any right to conduct illegal collection of taxes/cash either at the check gates or highways or market places or anywhere,” it added.
Kohima District Truck Owners & Drivers’ Union (KDTODU) also condemned the incident, terming it as “very unfortunate.” KDTODU Secretary Kiivethi Pur and President Riivese Sokha in a separate release stated it creates “so much of insecurity to the truck drivers in the state when such serious human torture could be meted to fellow truck drivers in broad daylight near the check gate maintained by Nagaland Police and people vicinity.” The KDTODU demanded that the District Administration & Police immediately arrest the accused perpetrators and impose punishment as per the law. Failing to do so implies that the “lives of truck drivers in the state are not safe at all as it clearly demonstrates that the truck drivers are targeted just for money at any time and any place,” it added.
