Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 26
A transport driver and his co-passenger delivering poultry consignments from Nagaon to Dimapur were physically assaulted by a home guard personnel manning a check-post near Dillai police station, Karbi Anglong district Assam in the morning of September 23.
Narrating the ordeal, the drive of the pick-up vehicle, Moinul Hoque who was assaulted by the Assam police said at around 3:30 AM, Tuesday morning, they were stopped at Dillai check-post. Upon inquiry “They (police) told me that entry through this road was not allowed and instead said to take the road from Khakati side if we wanted to enter Dimapur,” Hoque said.
Reasoning that the police did not posses any valid order for restricting entry through Dillai gate, Hoque drove off towards the Nagaland border ignoring their direction. “I told them there was a veterinary outpost right at the inter-state check-gate so I’ll go there to get the necessary permit for my consignments,” he explained.
However his vehicle was intercepted on-route to Dillai gate near Sunday bazaar by the police and later forced to return back to the same location near their police station. Later, one home guard identified as Mukibur Rahman, physically assaulted both Hoque and his co-passenger named Jihapur on the spot. “He punched and slapped me several times during the assault,” Hoque alleged.
Ironically the same police personnel then took them to their medical facility where he admitted to the doctor of assaulting them although he claimed to have only slapped them once.
Upon learning of the incident, members of the Poultry Union Dimapur (PUD) rushed to the location and subsequently made a formal complaint at the Dillai police station against the erring personnel involved in the assault.
It was also revealed that the poultry consignment, consisting of 150 kilos of live chicken, were disposed off by the veterinary department due to them being dead upon arrival at Dimapur.
Taking note of the complaint and incident, the police official in-charge, Sarat Kakati verbally gave assurances to the traders that no poultry transport vehicle will be restricted entry to Nagaland in the coming days.
PUD president Tiameren Aier lamented that even after lifting of the ban by the union in late August, poultry traders continue to face undue harassment. He stressed on the need to curb any external elements attempting to enforce a syndicate system in their business and urged the Nagaland State Advisor for Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services to withdraw his order at the earliest.
