Kohima/Dimapur | January 27
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the discovery of nine dead bodies at Pachaspura, Chumukedima on January 3, has established the identities of the people suspected to be behind the killings. A brief statement from the State Crime Records Bureau, PHQ, Kohima received today stated that three persons, whose identities were not revealed, were arrested after the probe began. Treating the case as sensitive, the statement did not dwell on details, citing “Any particulars/ details are not disclosed at this stage due to the sensitive nature of the case, which may hamper investigation.”
“Through the sustained interrogation of the arrested persons, the identity of the alleged perpetrators of the crime have been established and though they are evading arrest at the moment, all efforts are on to arrest them,” read the statement. It further stated that through the arrests, investigators got hold of “incriminating evidences and items,” while a vehicle used to carry out the killing was recovered. The three arrested, according to reliable inputs, are in police remand and are being kept in separate locations under unprecedented security arrangement.
With conspiracy theories rife on the possible motives behind the killings, the SIT as well as the Nagaland Police Headquarters, is tight-lipped on the progress of investigation more than three weeks since the probe started. There is still no clear definition as regards the statement “sensitive nature of the case,” though the inter-state implication involving armed organisations is believed to be compelling the Nagaland Police to tread cautiously.
The SIT has maintained since the probe started that disclosing details might hamper its work. The PHQ also chose to use the same words. “Disclosing the details at this stage will come in the way of investigation,” commented IGP, Headquarters, Lungriading when contacted. Prodded further, the IGP chose not to comment.
