Youth group alleges extortion; says ‘miscreants’ cite Naga political groups

Dimapur, March 21 (EMN): A youth organisation in Dimapur has alleged that some “miscreants while taking the names of Naga political groups” were indulging in threatening, and extorting money from, those undertaking construction works in Aoyim village and Naga United village area in Dimapur.

The foothill unit of Dimapur Ao Lanur Telongjem (Dimapur Ao Youth Organisation) on Thursday issued a press release stating that “several miscreants are on the prowl” targeting landowners and construction workers by way of extorting money as ‘tax’ for the Naga political groups.

“The principal modus operandi of these miscreants is to target construction workers who are residing in the area of construction and demand money from them as ‘tax.’ There have been a number of instances when these miscreants have snatched away mobile phones/belongings of the construction workers.

“This threat of extortion has become very serious and endemic that there have been numerous instances where construction works had to be brought to an abrupt halt due to the construction workers, mostly non locals, quit working and left the area out of fear.

“These miscreants have even gone to the extent of demanding money directly from individual/ landowners. There have been cases when the same miscreant(s) have demanded money/extortion while taking the name of multiple Naga political groups. This has resulted in many landowners abandoning work due to inability to pay the extortion demand while in some cases due to the prevailing fear psychosis,” read the statement.

The organisation expressed outrage at the fact that “practice of harassment, threat and daylight robbery are being meted to the public who are building homes in their own land by own fellow Naga.”

It has vowed to “fight such menace with every resource available”; and has urged every right-thinking individual, organisations to condemn such acts and join hands to get rid of such threat to the society.

The association iterated the Naga society’s assertion of ‘One Government One Tax’ during numerous public rallies.