Staff Reporter | EMN
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 11
A VIRTUAL demonstration of power and a showdown between Dimapur police and night revelers in the city appears to be inevitable, even as resto-lounges, especially those located in the vicinity of SP office Dimapur, continues to flout the 10 pm deadline recently issued by the district administration and police.
This blatant defiance, or rather criminal insolence, exhibited by the owners of resto-lounges has reportedly left top officials from Dimapur district administration as well as police, fuming with rage. Most of the resto-lounges, though not confirmed, are rumoured to be enjoying patronage provided by Naga underground groups.
Stung and deeply insulted by the continued defiance of the law, that too right in front of the highest office of law in the district, the district police had on August 9 last raided some of the resto-lounges near SP office at midnight and ordered their immediate closure.
Officials, both from the administration and police, confirmed to Eastern Mirror on Sunday evening that Dimapur police along with IRB personnel had raided two lounges on August 9 midnight in which two persons were arrested and 68 bottles of liquor were seized.
The arrested persons have been identified as Kevin from Wokha, currently residing in PWD colony Dimapur and Ajay Rai, a resident of Walford colony in Dimapur. Both have been forwarded to court.
On July 26 last, a joint team of Dimapur district administration and police had conducted a similar raid across downtown Dimapur.
Of late, late night commuters have been complaining of difficulties they face while crossing the stretch of road near SP office Dimapur. Haphazard car parking and rowdy youth behavior along this particular stretch of road have rendered it almost impossible to drive though the area.
On weekends especially, cars are found parked on both sides of the road starting from Nagarjan junction till SBI bank. Taking note of the nuisance created by such unregulated late night activities, the Dimapur administration had passed an order directing all resto-lounges to shut business by 10 pm during summer months.
The order has been perceived as ‘heartless’ to some regulars at the bars. They argue that many youth have returned to the State from other cities and metros in search of jobs and careers and need a venue for recreation. The bars provide this space.
But perhaps the young are missing the wood for the trees. Not only is the late night reveling which has increasingly become unruly, a breach of the district authority’s order, the seizure of liquor in public brings up the debate over the Liquor Prohibition Act promulgated in the State.
As of late Sunday night, Dimapur police were reportedly all prepared to conduct another raid after 10 pm in the same area.
