DIMAPUR — The Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) has expressed outrage over the death of one Ngukavi Yeptho from Tokugha village in Niuland district, who was run over by a police vehicle during an attempted arrest on July 25 at Kuhuboto.
In a press statement, the WSYF stated that the action taken by the police personnel in this instance was “not only deeply disturbing but also raises serious questions about the protocols and decision making processes employed by the law enforcement department”.
It said that the use of such excessive and lethal force is inexcusable and cannot be justified under any circumstances and that the incident reflects a blatant disregard for human life and the principles of justice and due process.
“It is learned that there is a standing FIR against the victim; however, the presumption of innocence is a legal principle that every person accused of any crime is considered innocent until proven guilty,” it read, adding that every individual, regardless of the accusation against them, is entitled to a fair trial and humane treatment.
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The WSYF described the incident as “a catastrophic failure” in upholding fundamental rights and responsibilities and mentioned that the role of the police is to protect and serve and such actions severely undermine public trust and confidence in law enforcement.
Noting that there are GBs and village administrations in every Sumi village that have always been cooperative whenever approached for any assistance, it was questioned as to why the GBs or the village administrations were not informed about the operation.
Further, the WSYF demanded a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident and stringent action against the police personnel and all those involved as per the provisions of the law.
“The WSYF further reaches out to all the Western Sumis for solidarity, resistance and non-cooperation towards the law enforcement agencies if fair, speedy and impartial justice is not delivered,” it stated.
