• Firing in Akuk, 2 wounded
• 3 rounds of gunfire in Awotsakimi
• Stone-pelting in Monyakshu, 2 cops wounded
• Attack on rival camp in Ungma
• Post-poll firing in 2 Dimapur-II
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 27
According to the Nagaland Election authority, poll day passed off rather peacefully. The elections to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly were conducted on February 27 across 59 constituencies, except in the 31 Akuluto Assembly seat, which was won uncontested by the BJP candidate Kazheto Kinimi.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Nagaland, V Shashank Shekhar summed up the day’s overall law and order situation as “alright” barring some incidents. “There were some incidents but because of the prompt action by our police and the other security agencies and the district administrations the situation was brought under control,” Shekhar told a press conference in the evening in Kohima.
The “some incidents” were reported from Mokokchung, Wokha, Mon, Zunheboto and Tseminyu districts. The incidents included skirmishes and heated exchanges between supporters of rival political parties.
In the words of IGP (Range) Limasunep Jamir, State Nodal Police officer, Elections, who also addressed the press conference, three were “major incidents,” which were reported from Wokha, Mon and Zunheboto districts.
The one in Wokha occurred in Akuk village, under 40 Bhandari constituency, around 6:30 am. In this incident, two persons sustained gunshot wounds. Jamir did not go into details only stating that there was a skirmish near Polling Station 1 and 4, reportedly between supporters of the two candidates contesting from the constituency. As per independent reports, they were supporters of NPF candidate Achumbemo Kikon and the BJP’s Mmhonlumo Kikon. The skirmish was followed by gunshots during which the two unnamed supporters reportedly sustained bullet wounds. As a result of the incident, Jamir said that security personnel resorted to firing in the air to control the situation. The condition of the two injured, who were admitted to the Bhandari government hospital, were described as 'out of danger.'
The incident in Mon district occurred in Monyakshu village, under 55 Tobu Constituency. It was a stone-pelting incident between supporters of the two candidates from the constituency though no names were mentioned. The constituency saw a straight contest between the NDPP’s N Bongkhao Konyak and LJP (Ram Vilas)’s Naiba Konyak. Jamir said that the situation was controlled but two security personnel sustained minor injuries. One was from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the other from the Nagaland Police.
In Zunheboto district, three firing incidents were reported from Awotsakimi village in the 32 Atoizu constituency. The gunfire occurred at 10:30 am, 11:30 am and at 1:00 pm. According to Jamir, it was a diversionary tactic not targeted at any one person. “I think the miscreants were trying (to employ) diversionary tactic,” said Jamir, while adding that there was no report of any casualty in relation to the three incidents.
He added that nearly 80 people were “bound down,” in the last 24 hours. He said that these were mostly in Dimapur and some in Mokokchung. As a result of the action, he claimed, “We were able to conduct the elections peacefully and successfully.”
No details were provided about the incidents in Mokokchung and Tseminyu.
Earlier in the morning, in Mokokchung, there were allegations of voters prevented from exercising their franchise by supporters of one candidate in the 26 Aonglenden constituency under threat of violence. Later in the evening, there was a report of supporters of one camp attacking the other. Neither the police nor the Election office was available for commenting on the matter.
In Dimapur, there were also sounds of gunfire post-poll. But it occurred well after closing of polls. According to official sources, police responding to a report about gunfire in a locality falling under the 2 Dimapur-II seat recovered 7 empty shells of .32 ammunition. The shots were fired in the air from Kevijau colony’s Lane 7 by a group of unknown miscreants, who reportedly arrived in a small car. It occurred at around 8:35 pm. They absconded immediately after, the sources said.
Earlier, during the day, as poll progressed, there was a report of one candidate allegedly assaulting a village headman in Kushiabill, under 3 Dimapur-III constituency. There were various contradictory versions about the incident. No mention was made of this incident at the press conference by the CEO.
In Longleng, there was a report of BJP legislator and candidate from the 50 Longleng seat S Pangnyu Phom refusing to allow closing of polling at a polling station in Longleng town. This incident was also not mentioned by the CEO in the press conference.
There were other reports of violence in various other places, which could not be independently ascertained.
