EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 2
THE State government has issued a clarification on the recent incident reported in local dailies involving the convoy of Parliamentary Secretary for Economics & Statistics, Excise, Legal, Meterology and Consumer Protection Torechu Yimchunger while he was enroute to Pungro on August 24.The NSCN (IM), USR, had earlier alleged that their party had intercepted the convoy of the Parliamentary Secretary enroute to Kiphire for transporting a consignment of IMFL.
Special Secretary to the government of Nagaland L Singsit in a release today said taking note of the several press releases issued by an organization under the name of USR, the government has instituted an inquiry headed by SP Kiphire.
The police report ascertained that ‘some miscreants’ had tried to obstruct the convoy of the Parliamentary Secretary at three locations in Kiphire district on August 24. The first one was at the Likimro Hydro Electric Power (LHEP) junction (NH 22) where two youths on motor cycle had tried to intercept the convoy to no avail. The second incident took place at Tuthezu junction (NH 22) wherein three armed persons, allegedly working for a self styled organization called the United Sangtam Region, tried intercepting the convoy but ran away as an Assam Rifle vehicle was seen approaching the location. The third incident occurred near a stone crusher located below Kiphire town when some miscreants tried to stop the convoy but ran away when the escort party of the VIP opened fire in the air, the release said.
The government said it is clear from the police report that no incident of interception of transportation of IMFL by the convoy of the Parliamentary Secretary had taken place nor had been detected by the police or any agency or organization.
“The allegations of the so-called USR that the Parliamentary Secretary was indulging in bootlegging is therefore incorrect and not substantiated by facts,” the government release said.
It further stated that the photograph of the vehicle allegedly seized during the August 24 and which appeared in a local daily (not the Eastern Mirror) on August 30 incident is false as no vehicle of the Parliamentary Secretary’s motorcade was seized at any point of time during the said incident.
The government further made it clear that no unauthorized persons or agencies have any right to intercept or detain any movement of VIP motorcade or entourage. Any such actions will be considered illegal and treated accordingly as per the provisions of the law, it warned. Further, if such interception is done by any of the factions, it will amount to violation of the ceasefire ground rules.
The government said it has issued the press statement as the so-called USR has been seeking clarification from the Parliamentary Secretary and also to clarify the facts on the incident to the public.
