Dimapur, November 22 (MExN): As a first statement from the Nagaland government since the November 19 killing of a youth by underground cadres in Zunheboto, Home Minister of Nagaland Imkong Imchen today said the perpetrators of the shocking crime must be tried “according to the law of the land.”
On November 19, one Daniel Yeptho of Viyilho village in Zunheboto district was allegedly shot dead reportedly by cadres of the GPRN/NSCN. The Government of Nagaland has so far yet to officially address the death of a citizen at the hands of underground cadres. There are also no indications that any concrete headway has been made to break the case.
In a hurried interaction with The Morung Express, Tuesday night, November 22, Imchen said what happened in Zunheboto on Saturday night must never reoccur. “It is a specific crime; we are booking the culprit according to the law of the land,” the Home Minister said over phone.
Queried whether his statement suggested that the State has already caught the perpetrators, he responded in the negative. Queried on the action the State government has taken so far he simply said “the police, administration are on the job; they are on the job.” The minister did not elaborate.
The Home minister then appealed to the groups that the current situation amongst the Naga people and their land is “not a time to kill” and called for peace. “I want to reiterate that it is not a time to kill each other; it should not be repeated especially in the current Naga context; it is my appeal to all to stop the killings and I appeal to the people to maintain peace.”
All attempts to contact leaders of the Nagaland Government including the Chief Minister’s Office, Chief Secretary of Nagaland and Nagaland state Cabinet members, were made. However, except for the Home Minister, they either refused to take calls or had switched off their phones. Likewise, neither the district administration nor the police administration of Zunheboto could be reached at the time of filing this news report.
On November 19, one Daniel Yeptho of Viyilho village in Zunheboto district was allegedly shot dead reportedly by cadres of the GPRN/NSCN. The Government of Nagaland has so far yet to officially address the death of a citizen at the hands of underground cadres. There are also no indications that any concrete headway has been made to break the case.
In a hurried interaction with The Morung Express, Tuesday night, November 22, Imchen said what happened in Zunheboto on Saturday night must never reoccur. “It is a specific crime; we are booking the culprit according to the law of the land,” the Home Minister said over phone.
Queried whether his statement suggested that the State has already caught the perpetrators, he responded in the negative. Queried on the action the State government has taken so far he simply said “the police, administration are on the job; they are on the job.” The minister did not elaborate.
The Home minister then appealed to the groups that the current situation amongst the Naga people and their land is “not a time to kill” and called for peace. “I want to reiterate that it is not a time to kill each other; it should not be repeated especially in the current Naga context; it is my appeal to all to stop the killings and I appeal to the people to maintain peace.”
All attempts to contact leaders of the Nagaland Government including the Chief Minister’s Office, Chief Secretary of Nagaland and Nagaland state Cabinet members, were made. However, except for the Home Minister, they either refused to take calls or had switched off their phones. Likewise, neither the district administration nor the police administration of Zunheboto could be reached at the time of filing this news report.
