Pre-poll violence: 8 cases registered, 24 arrested so far

Director General of Police (DGP) Nagaland, Rupin Sharma on Wednesday said that the state police have so far arrested 24 persons in eight cases connected to pre-poll violence reported from three Nagaland districts.

The DGP updated this during an interaction with the journalists at the Police Headquarters in Kohima. He was accompanied by ADGP Law and Order, Sandeep Madhukar Tamgadge, and ADGP Administration Renchamo P Kikon

Out of the eight pre-poll violence cases registered, five were from Wokha, two from Mokokchung, and one from Longleng, while 15 of the 24 arrested persons were from Khar village in Mokokchung district, for which investigation is on, informed Sharma.

He said that the pre-poll violence in Wokha has been brought under control, while acknowledging the intervention of the district administration. Additional forces have been deployed, he added while expressing that the police don’t have to use force in the days to come.

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Owing to violent incidents being reported in various districts, patrolling has been increased at vulnerable areas and the situation is normal as of today, it was informed.

Zunheboto, which has a history of pre-poll violence, has been peaceful this time, said the DGP.

Informing that about half a dozen of police personnel have been arrested in the past 15 days in connection with drugs (smuggling), he said the law is same for all and nobody is exempted from it.

‘The law will take its own course of action. If anyone is caught, action will be taken against them,’ he added.

A total of 53 cases of under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered in the state after the Model Code of Conduct came into force, he said while pointing out that some quarters are “shifting” from liquor to drugs, a factor that is poisoning the society.

A total of 66,000 litres of liquor have been seized so far, which is “way more than” the 2018 general election, he said, adding that an “unaccounted” money amounting to INR 3.65 crore has been seized since Tuesday evening.

He further informed the public that INR 50,000 is the permissible limit.

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Most of the liquor and cash were seized from Dimapur while drugs are seized from Manipur as per the preliminary indications.

On the NGOs and CSOs manning the check gates in their areas, he said it is a welcomed move to help the police in checking liquors, cash, and drugs, but they should not take law into their own hands. They have to realise this and report it to the police, he added.