DIMAPUR — Breaking its silence over the alleged ‘hit and run’ death of Ngukavi Yeptho, the Dimapur Police issued a statement on Monday, acknowledging that the suspect died in an accident during a police pursuit on July 25.
According to the police account, Yeptho was being pursued in connection with a July 22 abduction and assault case.
An FIR was filed with the Women Police Station in Dimapur on July 25, where it was alleged that on the night of July 22, a group of four to five individuals in a white Scorpio abducted two people returning home in another vehicle, after dropping off a relative near Showuba village.
As per the statement issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) and PRO, the victims, one of whom was a woman, reported being blindfolded, taken to an unknown location, and robbed of their possessions and bank account funds via GPay.
During preliminary investigation, the woman also reported being physically and sexually assaulted, and stated that the perpetrators took photos and videos with the intention to blackmail them into silence, it said.
Based on the victims’ statements and the digital evidence that was recovered, police tracked one of the primary suspects, identified as Ngukavi Yeptho, to Tokugha Village in Niuland district.
Subsequently, on the night of July 25, a team was dispatched to Tokugha village and during the operation, as the team was approaching the village; the suspect was seen fleeing in a motorbike which resulted in a hot pursuit.
During the chase, the officers who were operating under cover in a private vehicle identified themselves and repeatedly warned the suspect to stop.
“But he did not pay any heed to the repeated warnings and in the process the bike skidded and he lost his balance and fell on the road”, the police statement said.
“The speeding vehicle... could not stop instantly and one of the tyres slightly ran over the bike and the rider and ultimately crashed on the right side of the road into a drainage,” the police maintained.
Despite being given immediate medical attention and transported to the Referral Hospital, the suspect succumbed to his injuries, it said, adding that all legal formalities were observed and the body was sent to District Hospital Dimapur for post-mortem examination.
The police said that a separate case has been registered at the Niuland Police Station to investigate the circumstances of the suspect's death during the chase.
Further, in order to ensure fair and impartial investigation, police personnel involved in the incident have been placed under suspension.
The investigation into the original abduction and assault case, registered under Women Police Station, is ongoing.