Dimapur Police arrest man for impersonating doctor

The Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, addressing a press conference on Friday.

• DIMAPUR — Dimapur Police have arrested a man named Albert P Lotha for allegedly impersonating a medical doctor and practising medicine in Dimapur without the necessary qualifications.
• 
  
• The arrest was announced by Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, during a press conference held today.
• 
  
• He explained that an investigation was launched following a complaint lodged in January by the Nagaland Medical Council, alleging that the accused person, a resident of NST Colony (Clock Tower area), was practising medicine at New Market, Dimapur, without the mandatory registration required under the Medical Council Act of 2014.
• 
  
• A police enquiry, he said, confirmed that the accused had been posing as a medical doctor in Dimapur and practising medicine without the necessary qualification. A case was subsequently registered, and Lotha was arrested.

Also read: Dimapur Police warns against illegal lottery schemes

• 
  
• The CP informed that the ongoing investigation aims to determine the extent of the impersonation and the potential harm caused to unsuspecting patients.
• 
  
• According to Sophie, Lotha initially claimed to have obtained his MBBS degree from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru. However, investigation showed that he had enrolled in 2008 but failed to complete even a single year of study.
• 
  
• Despite this, he reportedly claimed to have graduated in 2014 and had been posing as a qualified doctor. While Lotha did not maintain a regular clinic, he had been frequently practising for some time, the CP said.
• 
  
• Dimapur Police urged members of the public to come forward if they have received treatment from Lotha and possess any prescriptions or medical records linked to him. These documents are crucial to the ongoing investigation.
• 
  
• The commissioner also appealed to the public to exercise caution when seeking medical treatment.
• 
  
• He advised them to verify the qualifications and credentials of medical professionals before consultation for medical ailments.
• 
  
• A practising medical doctor should possess a valid State Medical Council Registration number/ID, he explained, and encouraged the citizens to report to the police any individual suspected of practising medicine without valid credentials.
• 
  
• Pimla murder case
• 
  
• Sophie confirmed that five suspects remain in judicial custody in connection with the Pimla murder case. He said that they are awaiting crucial forensic reports before submitting the final charge sheet.
• 
  
• According to the commissioner, the delay is due to the off-state location of the forensic laboratory processing the samples.
• 
  
• However, recognising the public's concern and the need for swift justice, the commissioner assured that the case is being treated with the utmost seriousness.
• 
  
• The commissioner further clarified the post-mortem findings, confirming the death was homicidal in nature. However, he added that the report does not definitively rule out the possibility of sexual assault.
• 
  
• "To verify this, a vaginal swab and other relevant samples have been sent for forensic testing. We will make final conclusions once all reports are received," he said.

Also read: ZYON suspends agitation for one month to allow probe into Pimla murder case

• 
  
• The commissioner also provided an update on a recent drug bust by the anti-narcotic team of Nagaland Police. He stated that the team followed a group of suspects from Kohima to Dimapur, leading to the arrest of three individuals near Clock Tower, Dimapur.
• 
  
• The suspects were allegedly in possession of 25 soap cases containing approximately 280 grams of Shan Flower drugs. A woman believed to be the intended buyer was also subsequently taken into custody.