Principal Correspondent
Kohima, January 23
Unidentified armed miscreants vandalized three private vehicles which had ‘I AM ACAUT’ stickers pasted on the windshields at Keziekie area in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
Confirming the incident, police sources today said that the miscreants fired upon the three vehicles – a bolero, maruti car and a city bus parked on the road sides. The bullet marks were on the sport where “I AM ACAUT” sticker had been pasted. Police recovered three empty cases of 7.65 calibre fired from small arm. Enquiry into the matter to nab the culprits is in progress, police said.
According to the police, at around 08:30 am, a telephonic information was received at North P.S Kohima to the affect that, some unknown miscreants have fired upon three stationary vehicles located at Pezieliecie and Kezieke Colonyin Kohima.
The police personnel on receipt of the said information, rushed to the spot and found the three vehicles with one gunshot each on their windshields, the police said. On close observation being made at the three vehicles i.e. Bolero, Maruti Alto car and a city bus, all the three vehicles were found to have pasted ‘ACAUT’ stickers in their windshields and the unknown miscreant seems to have deliberately fired upon the ‘ACAUT’ stickers on close range resulting to damaged of the windshields by the gunshots, the police added.
The police said that as per the statements given by the residents of the said locality, the incident has occurred at around ‘12 midnight’ while they were sleeping and the only statement they could give to the police was to have heard the three gunshots being fired. Besides that, no other information regarding the mode of conveyance used by the unknown miscreants or the identity of unknown miscreant could be establish till the time of conducting preliminary investigation by the police, the statement of the police added.
The police have recovered three empty cases of 7.65 caliber used in .32 pistol and two bullet heads from the place of occurrence and a regular case is being registered in this connection for conducting further investigation to ascertain the actual cause of the incident and to establish the identity of the unknown miscreants.
Meanwhile, the Northern Angami Youth Organization (NAYO) has condemned the act of some miscreants vandalizing vehicles displaying 'I AM ACAUT' stickers.
NAYO president Peter Rutsa and general secretary Kekhrie Pfukha in a release said the three vehicles were shot from a close range with a 9 mm pistol around midnight at various locations in the town.
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Expressing its utter revulsion at such insane destruction of private property, NAYO said all concerned to sort out differences through various matured and beneficial platforms available and not by such illogical acts of aggression and threats.
They also said that it has also been made known to NAYO by citizens that at times ACAUT stickers are pasted on private and commercial vehicles without the knowledge or consent of the owner. As such NAYO requested the concerned organizations and individuals not to indulge in such acts which can be considered as encroachment and breach of privacy.
“Sticking of bills of any kind on vehicles, be it private or commercial motor vehicles without the knowledge and permission of owners can create misunderstandings,” they said.
NAYO also urged the law enforcing agencies to investigate this criminal act with all means available to it and safeguard both public and private property.
Meanwhile, NAYO also highlighted to the district administration and police department that many reports of illegal consignments and anti social activities are passing right through check gates under Kohima as reported in the newspapers.
Bootleggers and ILP defaulters as well as migrant traffickers have been passing through Chumukedima and Peducha check gates like they are porous to criminals, NAYO said.
Acknowledging and applauding both the district administration and police in providing security and prompt solving of many other cases, NAYO urged both the government agencies to re-focus on the above two mentioned loopholes.
NAYO also expressed its gratitude to ANTA Kohima headquarters for swiftly reacting on the January 20 night in nabbing one of the drivers of its Zonal taxi while trafficking illegal immigrant with forged documents.
The Gariphema Village Youth Organization (GVYO) has strongly condemned the incident where unidentified miscreants shot at the parked vehicle (Bolero) of one of its members S. Kruso Chiese in the early hours of January 23 at Pezielietsie, Kohima.
Terming the incident as ‘trying to create psychosis’ in the mind of innocent public, GVYO urged the administration and law enforcing agencies to check and investigate into such mindless destruction of public property.[box type="shadow" align="aligncenter" width="1 pt" ]Against Corruption And Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) strongly condemns the ‘senseless’ damaging of vehicles in Kohima that reportedly had stickers ‘I am ACAUT’ on it. It said details are still unclear on the number and extent of vehicles damaged. ACAUT expressed solidarity with the owners of the vehicles who “surely must feel their right to freedom expression has been robbed, however ACAUT reminds the people these acts are a direct affront to the values of democracy and freedom of expression of everyone.” ACAUT then cautioned the people that there are forces out there that are working hard to subvert the values of freedom and thus it is important to denounce this attack by one and all. ACAUT media cell said it stands against all forms of terrorism and it will stand for freedom of expression and democracy. The voice of the people cannot be cowed down, it asserted.
