EMN
Dimapur, June 20
The Dimapur police have rubbished the claims of a government teacher, one Samuel Sumi, who claimed to have been assaulted by police personnel during a raid for liquor on June 18 in Dimapur. In fact, police said, the government teacher tried to escape under cover of darkness and was caught and then even while being detained, he tried again to escape.
The police issued a strong statement on Saturday implying that the local media should have demonstrated journalistic professionalism by taking into account both sides of the story.
“It was only when the party was about to move out from the location with seized consignments and detained persons that, he announced that the premise belonged to his uncle and protested being taken to the police station,” the police said in the clarification.The police did not deny that some physical injury was caused to the person during the fracas that followed the raid for liquor and the resultant chase after the persons which included the teacher. The police assured that the circumstances would be delved into and responsibility will be ‘fixed’.
The authorities also rubbished the allegations that a child and a women were assaulted and that the police personnel were drunken at all. “Allegations of assault upon a child and a woman is fabricated. Also, that the police personnel were under the influence of liquor is completely false. The entire exercise was done within half an hour and the allegations that people were detained in the spot for hours is unfounded. It is a fact that seven persons were taken to the police station for further enquiry after being found near the truck. Five of them were released provisionally including Mr. Samuel Sumi, while two of them have been officially arrested,” the police said.
Investigation is still under progress and more arrests will be made, the police said. 45 cases of liquor were found in the truck. The vehicle had the registration number (NL05G-0388), it stated.
Giving the accounts, the police said that on the night of June 18, citizens had complained that a truck parked in Model village of 5th Mile was being loaded with liquor. Accordingly, mobile police units rushed to the location and found that the truck was being loaded into with cases of liquor by a group of men.
“On seeing the police, few of them tried to escape in the cover of darkness but were chased and caught by the cordon team. Amongst those detained was Mr. Samuel Sumi, a government teacher residing near the premise. He tried to escape again while being detained but was caught. It was only when the party was about to move out from the location with seized consignments and detained persons that, he announced that the premise belonged to his uncle and protested being taken to the police station,” the authorities clarified.
The Dimapur police do not deny that in the melee physical injury was caused to the teacher and excesses are regretted. “Circumstances and resultant actions undertaken by the police personnel is being enquired into and responsibilities will be fixed,” the clarification stated.
To the local newspapers and media, the police had this word of appeal: “While appreciating the role of the media in bringing out issues and causes to the public domain, Dimapur Police would like to appeal that for such matters having ramifications upon the image of a department, confirmation and clarifications may be sought before it is published so that equal opportunity is provided to highlight the other side of the story and the reports thus published are balanced”.
