Cop murder: main accused in state police custody

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 17 (EMN): The two main accused in the murder case of a 5th NAP battalion inspector Neiphretuo Metsie-o of Chiechama village, who were apprehended from neighbouring Manipur and Assam state have been brought to the custody of the Nagaland police.

According to Kohima police, accused Ringthinchon was caught by the Manipur police in Ukhrul on September 15 while the other accused Yuireingam Shimray was apprehended by the railway police at Guwahati on September 16. They have been handed over to the state’s police.

Metsie-o was reported to have gone missing on September 7 after he left his home in Kohima to report for duty at Pfutsero where he was posted. His body was found on September 15 in a jungle between Zuketsa and Zapami in Phek district.

The two accused persons were said to have hitched a ride in the police officer’s vehicle, a white colored Mahindra Scorpio, from Kohima. Police said that the vehicle was recovered from Lephori area under Meluri sub-division in Phek district on Sunday.

The police is said to have constituted a special investigation team to look into the case.

APO to hold public procession on Wednesday

The Angami Public Organisation (APO) has announced to a public rally on September 19, at 9 am at the old MLA Hostel junction in Kohima town, against the killing of Neiphretuo Metsie-o. The APO’s President Kepelhousie Terhüja, Angami Youth Organisation’s President Neinguvotuo Krose, and Chiechama village council’s Chairman Neitso Sogotsu will be speaking at the rally.

Following the rally, there will be a public procession to the chief minister’s residence to submit a memorandum.

In this regard, the APO has requested all members of the community to attend the programme in traditional attire and a black flag/badge. The organisation has, through a press release, informed that all the citizens of Kohima ‘are open to attend the programme to condemn the heinous act or show solidarity.’

Gov. seeks ‘highest degree’ penalty for killers

The governor of Nagaland has called the recent alleged killing of a Nagaland police officer, Neiphretuo Metseio, a crime deserving of the ‘highest degree of punishment.’ Raj Bhavan issued a condolence message from PB Acharya on Monday.

“Governor Acharya stated that such crime is intolerable and deserves the highest degree of punishment,” the message read. ‘PB Acharya has strongly condemned the murder of Neiphretuo Metseio and has expressed shock and grief over the heinous incident. He described late Neiphretuo Metseio as a sincere police officer who dedicated his life to the security and welfare of the people of the state. We are proud of him.’

The governor condoled with the demise of the police officer by stating to be praying that the Almighty would grant solace to the members of the bereaved family.

Also, Acharya expressed appreciation to the law enformcent for arresting the main suspect, stated to have been arrested from Guwahati railway station.

“He said that befitting punishment must be awarded to the perpetrators as per the law,” the message read.

Sequence of events surrounding the arrest

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Assam Police arrested Yuiriengam Shimray (24), the main accused for the murder of police officer Neiphretou Metsei-o, on Sunday evening on a tip-off from Dimapur police that the suspect was travelling in Dibrugarh-Rangiya Express.

Yuiriengam was wanted for the murder of Neiphretuo Metsie-o, who went missing on September 7 before his dead body was found in a decomposed state between Zapami and Lasumi villages on September 15. His female accomplice, Ringthingchon (21), was detained earlier by the Ukhrul police before being handed over to the Nagaland police.

A statement from the Chief Public Relations Officer of N. F. Railway, Maligaon, said that Dimapur DCP alerted the RPF at around 5 pm on September 16 that the murder suspect of police officer was moving in train bearing number 15928 (Dibrugarh-Rangiya Express) towards Guwahati and his whereabouts was “confirmed by continuously monitoring his mobile location as well as the train position.”

Initiating the plot to nab the murder suspect, the divisional security commissioner of the RPF and Sr. divisional operating officer of Lumding “arranged to regulate the train for about 15 minutes in the yard before reaching Guwahati station with the approval of the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding Division” as it would be difficult to corner the accused once the train reached Guwahati due to the presence of huge crowd.

“Accordingly, a team under Inspector RPF, New Guwahati, was moved to the yard and intense checking of the train from both sides was done with having observers on both sides at 18.00hrs,” said the statement. It said the suspect jumped out of the train and moved into the adjacent Colony on sensing the armed personnel’s move but he had nowhere to go when chased by the “observers and other staff.” So, he moved into a building.

“Immediately, the building was cordoned from all sides.  Since it was a civil area, local police were called and after sometime, seeing no way to escape from the spot the suspect came down from the building and he was taken into custody. Nagaland Police were accordingly intimated. The suspect would be legally handed over to Nagaland Police on their arrival,” said the statement.