Agitation over Pimla murder enters third day as CSOs boycott meeting

DIMAPUR — The second phase of the indefinite “aggressive agitation” launched by the Zeliangrong Youth Organisation Nagaland (ZYON), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN), and Zeliangrong Mipui Organisation (ZMO) entered its third day on Thursday in Peren district, crippling government offices and blocking National Highway-129 (A).

Even as the deputy commissioner (DC) convened a meeting to address the unrest, none of the civil society organisations (CSOs) invited turned up, reaffirming their stand not to engage with the government until concrete action is taken in the Pimla murder case.

Also read: Pimla murder case: Zeliangrong bodies intensify agitation in Peren district, demand release of forensic report

The agitation is in response to what the groups described as the failure of the state government and law enforcement agencies to ensure justice in the April 7 Pimla murder case, where a woman’s body was discovered between Mhaikam and Pimla village.

Protesters have demanded that the culprits be named and the forensic report released before any further dialogue takes place.

In line with their August 14 press conference in Dimapur, the organisations have enforced a ban on government vehicles and interstate routes in addition to the closure of government offices.

According to ZYON president R John Zeliang, 26 vehicles have been confiscated so far, including two government-registered vehicles, while the rest were transport carriers along NH-129 (A).

Meanwhile, an order issued by the state commissioner on August 20 informed the DC that the Principal Sessions Judge, Dimapur, had cancelled the bail earlier granted to the accused in the Pimla case.

The order further noted that the commissioner of police, Dimapur, had written to the director general of police, Nagaland, seeking intervention to expedite forensic examinations at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Kamrup, Assam.

Following these developments, the commissioner directed the DC to apprise CSOs of the latest progress and urge them to call off the bandh.

“It may also be appraised to them that the state government is sincerely pursuing the matter and taking necessary steps so that justice is delivered at the earliest,” the communiqué stated.

Despite these assurances, the CSOs remained firm in their boycott of the meeting and continued to enforce the bandh.