- Allegedly demands Rs.5, 000; driver manages only Rs. 800
- Shocked youth group say locals feel betrayed by IRB
A youth organization from Wokha town has alleged extortion
by personnel of the Nagaland Armed Police (Indian Reserve) from a taxi driver
on June 11 in Tseminyu town, under Kohima district. The regional taxi was
reported to be returning to Wokha town from Kohima.
Prominent Wokha-based youth organization, Team Metamorphosis, alleged that a soldier of the IR personnel on patrol demanded Rs. 5000 from the taxi driver. However, only Rs. 800 could be exacted from the driver as he had none, the youth group said.
Team Metamorphosis issued a statement on Saturday, June 13. President of the organization, Thungdemo Kyong – also advisor to the Lotha Youth Hoho –appended the statement.
The organization implied that the local population of Wokha
had been feeling secure that soldiers from the local tribes–and the state’s own
police force–were ensuring peace amid tensions since violence began with the
NSCN-K abrogating the ceasefire with the Indian government.
Saying that the Incident was betrayal of the trust the locals have for IR personnel, the organization said that the extortion has left the local population distrusting the IRB now.
The statement offered accounts about the alleged incident:
“On the 11th of June, things were going normal, in spite of the tensions growing
due to the abrogation of the cease fire truce by our brothers and sisters, the
NSCN (K). Every Naga engaged with her/her own trade was in its usual track.
“A Naga brother who recently got into a taxi service driving his own Sumo taxi, which was purchased through a loan given by the SBI Wokha branch, was coming back from Kohima to Wokha. He was happy to notice Naga IR patrols along NH-2 at Tseminyu town at around 7 25 pm carrying out routine checks giving a sense of security to the weary travelers, as came his turn to be checked, an IR personnel noticed that all his documents were perfect except for the pollution certificate which already got expired.
To his surprise the man in uniform demanded Rs. 5000 on the reason of the expired pollution certificate but when he wanted to negotiate the amount (as he got just few passengers on board through whom he had earned just enough to be able to refill fuel to return home) besides why that huge amount has to be levied upon him, he was told ‘you better avoid quarreling (Jhakara koribole na besaribi)’, he was forced to pay the remaining amount of rupees eight hundred which he had saved after refilling the fuel”.
According to the press release, “It was not only him that got the shock of his life but also the passengers who witnessed the horrible scene”. Every Naga thinks that the IR soldiers are the only people who can “literally straighten the untamed generation who have no sense of human ethics whether at home or outside”.
Sadly though, Team Metamorphosis stated, the situation brings up questions about how much the local people can trust “our Naga IR jawans whom we’ve always looked upon”.
“We understand that in a family we’ve people with different characters so also will be in the IR family. But the fact is that they are not ordinary people, they’re always looked upon by the common Naga men and women, dream of many young Nagas to one day become one so that he/she may be able to render good service to the people, trained and commissioned to give security to the people and no to rob or extort the people,” the organization said.
Team Metamorphosis implied that this was not the first time “we’ve heard and also seen instances” when Naga IR soldiers have misused the power vested on them.
“Whether the jawans at that situation were entrusted to impose fine (of that degree as mentioned) or to confiscate every single penny for not possessing valid documents and award disciplinary action to the unlawful/ erring personnel/s as the jawan’s action there was nothing short of extortion,” the statement said.
“But till date I acknowledge the yeomen service rendered by the Naga IR jawans in spite of rain or sunshine, calm or storm, hunger or thirst, night or day and I still believe that for keeping the situation under control Naga IR jawans are the best (No wonder West Bengal, Jharkand etc always ask for Naga IR’s assistance),” the press release added.
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