Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 14
While the final report of the Oting SIT is being awaited, there is a parallel inquiry, albeit at the district level, investigating the events of December 5 in Mon town. The disclosure was made at an impromptu press briefing addressed by the Nagaland Police chief, T John Longkumer and the supervisory head of the Oting SIT, ADG (Law and Order), Sandeep M Tamgadge at the Nagaland Police Complex in Chümoukedima, Dimapur on January 14, on the request of media persons.
ADG Tamgadge maintained, “The mandate of the SIT is only for the occurrence that occurred on the 4th of December at Oting.” He informed that there is a second FIR registered at Mon Police Station in connection to the violent December 5 protests in Mon town and “there is a separate district level team which has been constituted to investigate that.”
As far as revealing the contents of the SIT’s final report are concerned, DGP Longkumer said, “We cannot reveal the details, which you may be keen to know, because of the way the legal system works.” He reiterated what the ADG stated at the press conference in Kohima the day before, stating that the ground investigation is over and only the forensic and ballistic reports pending. As per the CrPC, the final report can be submitted to the court only after the laboratory reports are incorporated.
Tamgadge added that the SIT was not in a position to affix a date as to when the laboratories would submit the reports.
He said, “From the PHQ, we have requested both the CFSLs (Central Foresic Science Laboratories) at Guwahati and Hyderabad that looking at the sensitivity of the nature of the offence, the forensic analyses be expedited and the reports submitted as soon as possible.”
Increased responsibility
The meeting at Chümoukedima, today, as per the DGP, was to assess the law and order situation in Dimapur in the backdrop of the reorganisation of the erstwhile Dimapur district and the military units in Nagaland having suspended operations, till the conclusion of the ongoing investigations vis-à-vis Oting and subsequent incidents. Several senior police officers from the PHQ were at the meeting.
According to Longkumer, the responsibility of the state police have increased and it has necessitated reassessing deployment of forces, particularly in Dimapur. “We are deploying more forces here... We want to assure all the citizens of Dimapur and the State in general, that Nagaland Police will handle any situation.”
He added that there will be more police checks and also greater will be given to road safety.
Need for more CCTVs
The DGP further admitted to Dimapur requiring more security cameras. While sanctions for more CCTVs have been given for Kohima under the SmartCity Plan, he said that there is no such fund available for Dimapur. Nevertheless, said that he will approach the government in regard to this.
