Nagaland Chief Minister inaugurates new police station

‘Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act not serving its purpose’

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Nov. 5 (EMN): Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio on Saturday inaugurated a new police station at Sovima village, Chümoukedima, in the presence of Deputy CM Y Patton and other officials.

Speaking at the event, Rio urged the police personnel to be vigilant, saying that drug trafficking is increasing in Sovima village though crime rate is low. He also asked the residents of the village to be supportive and cooperative by providing information to the police.

Policing has become more challenging with criminals using all kind of latest technology, he said, while expressing contentment over anti-social elements being caught by the cyber crime branch. Police are doing a commendable job but be sensitive in your dealing with the public, treat anyone with dignity and compassion while showing zero tolerance to criminals, he added. 

He said it is the effectiveness of the police that the criminals fear.

Rio mentioned that Sovima area is full of activities in the evening as youths come to play cricket, futsal and other games. Besides local sportspersons, he said, those from outside the state also come to play in the area.

As COVID-19 has subsided, games and sport activities have increased, and at present, the Nagaland Cricket Association is hosting the BCCI matches at the cricket stadium situated in the village and matches will be played from November 5 to the 8th, he updated.

Nagaland has been declared a disturbed state under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), so unless we check criminal activities, no player will come to our state, therefore, this area requires security, he said.

Rio also requested the police personnel to render the best possible service to the people and particularly provide protection to the national and international players so that they will come to the state again.

Patton, Sovima village chairman on NLTP Act

Speaking at the inaugural programme of Sovima Police Station, Deputy CM Patton said the lifting of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989 lies with the civil societies and churches, maintaining that the state government will have a second thought on it only if they raise their voice.

However, he opined that lifting of the controversial NLTP Act will be beneficial to the state both in terms of revenue and checking spurious liquor.

The state is losing about INR 1800-1900 crore every year and we do not have resources, so we need to have a serious thought on this (lifting of NLTP Act), he added.

Maintaining that any additional infrastructure and facilities come with responsibilities, he urged the 14 villages under Sovima Police Station to maintain zero crime and co-operate with the police.

He expressed hope that the new police station will alleviate the concerns of the people by its service to the residents of the locality and its adjoining areas.

Sebastian Zümvü, Chairman of Sovima village, requested the state government to review the NLTP Act for a partial lifting, saying that it is not serving its purpose. He said such a move is needed to ensure that only quality liquor is made available and the government generates revenue from it.

He also said that there have been reports of burglary, theft, and especially bootlegging and drug peddling in Sovima village. He also expressed concern over sunflower drug being openly sold in the village, and young people as customers.

‘We have reports that even college and school students have been abusing such substances, and the Sovima youth volunteers have been successful in detecting and apprehending a few drug peddlers and bootleggers in the village,’ he said, adding that the village council has expelled them form village.

‘But I feel that expelling them is not the remedy and the remedy lies deeper than that,’ he told the gathering.

50% of cases from Dimapur, Niuland, Chumou

Director General of Police (DGP), T John Longkumer said it was evident during the COVID pandemic that the role of police is not restricted to law enforcement but is an integral part of good governance. It is the most visible agency in the government which has an impact on the larger segment of the society, he added.

Police is an active participant in the development of the community, and today, policing is not an enforcer, but we are heavily investing in the concept of community policing, which is together with the community, we are policing an area, said Longkumer.

He, thus, requested the villages in the surrounding area to extend co-operation to the staff of Sovima Police Station in particular and Dimapur Commissionerate police in general in maintaining law and order.

The Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo, informed that the Sovima Police Station currently has 23 personnel, which include one Sub Inspector, assistant sub inspectors- 3, THC- 2, Nk- 2, and UBC- 15.

He updated that the Police Commissionerate Dimapur, now has a total of 10 police stations and two traffic control stations.

He informed that the areas falling under the new police station at Sovima include: Sovima village, L Hetoi village, Shokhuvi village, Virazouma village, Selouphe village, Zoological Park area, Singrijan village, Khriezephe village, Ikishe village, Shitovi village, Disagaphu village, Vidima village, Razaphe village and Razaphe Basa village with a population of 17,469 as per the 2011 census.

As per the crime statistics from 2020 to May 2022, the cases registered in Dimapur, Niuland and Chumoukedima districts under Police Commissionerate Dimapur accounts for nearly 50% of the total cases registered in whole of Nagaland, revealed the police officer.

Updating about the manpower, he said the present total GD (General Duty) sanctioned strength of the Police Commissionerate Dimapur is 880 for 12 stations and RHQ, and the sanctioned strength of Sub Inspector (SI) is 18 and Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) is 36, for investigation and law and order duties.

At present, under the Police Commissionerate, East Police Station has registered the highest number of cases with an average of 280 cases per year, he informed, adding that the disposition of manpower at the police station is one inspector, six SI, seven ASI, six HC, and 45 UBC.