Youth group alleges extortion by Kohima traffic police

Dimapur, July 17 (EMN): A youth organisation has alleged unauthorised levy by some personnel of the Kohima traffic establishment at the ‘landslide area’ Kezhanu at Jotsoma, near Kohima town.
The Jotsoma Youth Organisation (JYO) issued a press release to the media on Wednesday demanding that the authorities address the matter.
The JYO alleged “with great pain” what it called illegal activities allegedly by Kohima traffic policemen on the night of July 16 at around 6:00-7:30 pm at Kezhanu “by collecting money from heavy vehicles to cross the landslide.”

The organisation said to have been receiving reports that the activity had been going on for the past two weeks.
“It is also learnt that the traffic police are collecting Rs I00 up to Rs 2000 depending on the load capacity of the trucks. Last night (16/7/19) towards evening, heavy traffic jam was reported on NH 29 towards and therefore, youth volunteers led by JYO president rushed down to help regulate the vehicles to cross its jurisdiction without hardship,” the JYO stated.

“On reaching the spot, it was seen that upcoming vehicles from Dimapur to Kohima were lined up to more than 4 kms from the landslide area towards Zubza. Many vehicles were stranded up for hours together, which includes some vehicles carrying patients to Kohima for treatment.”

On verifying the cause of the jam, the volunteers caught a traffic policeman collecting money from each truck to cross the sinking area of the road, the organisation stated.

“On further interrogation, they admitted that they are collecting just for ‘chai pani’ expenditure of the traffic police. The time taken by the police personnel to extort their desired amount from the truck drivers takes about 2 to 5 minutes which is causing the jam on the highway. We are also to inform you that when the personnel were caught red handed, a traffic police officer in the rank of ASI was in command at the spot.”

The press release stated: ‘It is every year that the JYO has been repairing and filling the potholes on the British Victory Road or Jotsoma bye-pass from its own resources with the view to help the public as the road becomes a vital link road to the capital town during summer.‘

Regrettably, the organisation stated, “every year during this season, JYO received reports that Kohima traffic police personnel extorts money from the drivers and at times some personnel were even caught red handed extorting money from drivers.”

The extortion activities have been causing a bad name to the villagers as the travellers never suspect police personnel to be doing such illegal activities for which ‘naturally the villagers became the prime suspects,’ the organisation stated.

The organisation has sought clarifications whether the ‘collection’ by the Kohima traffic police personnel had been authorized by the district administration.

“If the collection is not authorized, we request you to take necessary action against the traffic police personnel on duty as their unauthorized and illegal activities had caused untold misery to the travellers. Further, with this kind of illegal activities carried out by the police personnel has caused spiralling price rise of essential commodities in Kohima and surrounding places which is a burden for the common people of the district.”

The organisation has expressed hope that the organisation will be informed about the action the
authorities take about said issue.