JUNE 3 RAID Police stick to guns while ACAUT, BAN express concerns

Dimapur, June 6 : In the wake of the condemnations from certain quarters over search action of police in the house of one Akashe.Z.Zhimomi at Eralibill on June 3, Addl. Dy Commissioner of Police/PRO, Dimapur in a press note clarified that action of the police had no connection with the affiliates of the subject from whose quarters condemnations have emerged.

“It is rather unfortunate that certain responsible organizations had without understanding the statutory provisions of the law decided to condemn the actions of the police carried out under legal sanctity.”

The police officer asserted that the actions of the police were in conformity with the law and acted within their powers as per prescribed procedures.
“The Dimapur Police in its effort to secure arrest of persons, against whom non- bailable arrest warrants were issued, had entered into the premises of the subject on specific information that such persons were taking shelter there.”

“The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) under section- 47 clearly specifies that when the police officer having authority to arrest has reasons to believe that the person(s) to be arrested has entered into or is within any place, any person residing or being in charge of such place, on demand by the police officer allow free ingress and afford all reasonable facilities for a search therein.”

“If ingress to such place cannot be obtained, the police acting upon a warrant or without warrant, but cannot be obtained without affording the person to be arrested an opportunity of escape, can enter such place, to break open any outer or inner door or window of any house or place. The aforementioned point thus, clearly defines the ambit within which the police had acted. The law is equal for all irrespective of one’s position in the society.”

ACAUT concerned over police raid

ACAUT Nagaland while acknowledging the commendable jobs done by Dimapur police in maintaining law and order, also regretted the arbitrary raid at the residence of a respectable citizen of Dimapur without any search warrant which is illegal.

Media Cell, ACAUT Nagaland in a press note said, “Apart from the illegality, the police should realise that its action has caused undue embarrassment and mental agony to the family of Akashe Zhimomi, GB of Iralibill village. For a dedicated family man like Akashe who is also a core leader in ACAUT Nagaland, the stigma of police raid is something which will remain as a black spot in his honourable life.”

Stating that the police top brass should humbly realise that few lower cadre officers can spoil its imag, the ACAUT fully endorsed and supported the demand of DEEHA so that it serves as a lesson to all police force that none is above the law.

“The fragile fabric of democracy with its check and balances must be guarded at all times; hence ACAUT Nagaland deems this incident as very unfortunate which Dimapur police must acknowledge as serious oversight on its part. ACAUT Nagaland requests the custodians of law and order to be to be mindful of civil rights.”

BAN dismayed

Business Association Nagas (BAN) expressed dismay that one of its esteemed members’ house was raided by Dimapur Police while in his absence and without any search warrant, saying ‘this is extremely arbitrary on the part of Dimapur Police that raises a lot of concern for the general public.’

“Nagas who are already traumatized by Armed Forces Special Act (AFSPA), the last thing it can wish for is the state police to emulate the Indian Army. Thus it is the appeal of BAN that such untoward incidents do not repeat again.”