Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 3
In the shadow of abduction, extortion and intimidation that has occurred in the past few months, the business community of Dimapur is experiencing many sleepless nights. Such situations are not new; a similar trend occurred many years ago, owing to which many prominent businessmen left Dimapur. The recent wave of violence has caught many a business in a grip of a fear psychosis. And should this current trend continue, it is likely that the commercial hub of Nagaland will soon turn into a barren hub.
The latest victim of such anti-social elements was a chicken whole-seller of New Market who was abducted, and later shot dead as the family was able to pay only part of the entire ransom demanded, for the victim’s release. As a collective protest against the murder of the abducted businessman in Dimapur, the shutters of almost all the business establishments remained shut down on Saturday while the numbers of vehicles plying on the road was minimum. Sources informed that Saturday’s closure was in reaction to the murder of the businessman and maintained that if the administration does not take proper measures for the security of the business community in Dimapur, the shutters would remain down indefinitely.
While talking to a few businessmen at the outskirts of Dimapur, they said that as the town was closed, they had also closed their shops as nobody wanted to get into trouble. A prominent businessman while talking on condition of anonymity said that “Who is going to speak against abductions, extortion and intimidation and who is going to register complaints to the police. Everybody wants to be safe and sound and wants to live with his family and if anybody complaints against these, then the person is sure to die.”
“The cancer of abductions, extortion and intimidation is killing the businessmen in silence,” the businessman underlined. Few young businessmen within the town lamented that none of the organisations and civil societies condemned the brutal murder of our fellow colleague, and also questioned why businessmen are not being treated as human beings. They alleged that the police and the district administration are not taking safety measures to protect the business community. “If these things can happen under President’s Rule than what will happen to us after the elections,” they stated. Saturday’s bandh in Dimapur was a protest against the suffering of the business community, who for many years have quietly endured all the pain and hardships.
The sudden bandh has affected the life of many who come from adjoining villages of Dimapur and other districts. While talking to a group of people who came from adjoining villages, they said that they were unaware of the bandh, and that only “after getting down from the bus we saw that the shops were closed”.
They also maintained that they were helpless, as they could not even buy their grocery. “We spent around Rs. 25 to 30 to come to Dimapur but what has cost us more is the time and not the money”, they lamented, and added that they would have to return to their villages. After hearing about the murder of the businessmen, the villagers have strongly voiced against such anti-social elements that create trouble to normal people.
Some students have also protested that the auto rickshaw drivers were charging too much as the drivers claim the petrol pumps are closed and they have to buy petrol in the black market. Speaking against the murder of the businessman, the students also said, “If we want to see our State as a developed State than we have to stop such inhuman practice. Rather killing one another or abducting businessmen for ransom, these people should work together for the peace and progress of the State.”
