The murder of a public servant who was dragged from a bus en route to Dimapur from Zunheboto on the night March 17 is one that chills the bone of every right-thinking citizen in Nagaland. It is also quite despicable that the assailants were masquerading as cadres of a some Naga national groups and was able to first kidnap the victim before he was killed. Such cases of killings used to happen only during the years when factional fights were frequent in the state. After the various peace parleys and the semblance of peace that came such cases had seen a decline. However, killing—such as the recent case—purely for money and robbing victims is seeing an increase in the state. Such cases of crime especially on public transport passengers and drivers have been on a rise, of which some were quiet sensational. It is many a time that victims are hardworking drivers and their assistants who just wanted to earn some extra money by taking passengers at night. They either end up being killed or are left to die and assailants take off with their vehicles and other loot. This is just another form of dacoity that is slowly increasing.
In-depth study of the deeper socio-economic factors that lead people to commit such crimes has become a necessity. The village economy that used to be self-sufficient in the olden days is no longer flourishing in many of the villages in Nagaland especially those far from towns and those with low populations. Except for Dimapur and Kohima the economy is not so dynamic even in the urban areas because other towns are mostly extensions of villages. Even in the Kohima and Dimapur the professions and trade that are in demand are not favoured by Naga youths. The economy of the state as a whole runs on a government economy. Out of it, most from the Naga tribal communities depend directly on the government. In such a precarious scenario the rise in crime is only expected to increase.
Although scarcity is considered the number-one key to innovation the apparently widening gap between the haves and the have-nots in the state will motivate very few. Innovation needs the right environment, and peace and order to be sustainable — civilisations throughout history were brought down by barbarism. Hard work alone does not commensurate with good earning and livelihood for many in the state. Almost all the wealth in the hands of individuals is therefore assumed to have been gained through corruption. The recent elections also have shown how people led by traditional institutions have no respect for human lives. The general atmosphere is quite negative and negativity is being preached in the social as well as religious institutions. So, instead of innovation some minds would surely manifest reptilian brains that would rather kill. Humans are far better than this and incidences such as the recent crime should be the wake-up call for our planners and leaders in the state.
