SDPO Mokokchung among those manhandled during clash with civilians
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 30
A liquor raid by the police in Mokokchung went awry as it ended in a standoff between the raiding team and members of the public. A few policemen were injured in the incident, which occurred in the afternoon on June 30.
The police said that the Special Operations Team (SOT) of the Mokokchung police raided a house at Tongdentsuyong ward based on “specific input” about storing of illicit liquor. As per the police version, the place was raided and a stash of IMFL seized. The SOT personnel were in the process of impounding and transporting the liquor to the Police Station when they reportedly met resistance.
Approximately 70 cases of IMFL was said to have been recovered from the place.
“There was a standoff between the police and a group of people, during which a few of our boys, including the SDPO were manhandled,” said the Mokokchung police.
The people, who protested the raid, questioned the legality of armed police personnel in civvies raiding a private residence without a search warrant. It was further contested that the owner of the place was not present at the venue at the time of the raid.
Sensing trouble, the SOT personnel alerted their higher ups. The SDPO, Mokokchung was despatched to respond to the situation. The situation however worsened as tempers rose ultimately resulting in a scuffle and a few policemen, including the SDPO sustaining injury. The nature of injury was not disclosed by the police.
“The public were demanding the cops to produce valid papers warranting the raid. They disallowed the cops from leaving the place unless and until search warrant was produced,” said a person who witnessed the standoff. As per this version, the tussle led to a melee and then “a minor bashing happened” during which “the police and some public members received minor injuries.”
The police were further accused of baton-charging the gathered crowd, who took offence to the raid. The police on the other hand denied ordering a “lathi-charge,” while maintaining that the situation was eventually brought under control.
“The police can raid a place when it gets specific inputs about a place holding contrabands,” said the police responding to the charge about search/raid without legal warrant.
While both sides assert their respective claims, one observer commented, “Be it alcohol or drugs, I think it's going to come down to how the alcohol got past the border checkpoints.”
