Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 9 (EMN): The Kohima Police on Tuesday held the first edition of the Good Samaritan Award, instituted to recognise the many unsung heroes who are making the state capital a better and safer place for citizens.
The first edition of the Award was conferred to Tsiese Basa Youth Organisation and UBC Isilong Hau, DEF Kohima in a function held at the Conference Hall of SP office Kohima.
Addressing the programme, Kevithito Sophie, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kohima, said there were many heroes who were involved in solving day-to-day crimes, social problems and even if they were noticed, not acknowledged.
Sophie maintained that the police were not ‘magicians’ who could solve problems but underwent training to uphold rules and regulations. He sought support of the civil society and the media fraternity to share information about incidents and at the same time extend help when needed.
He appreciated the Tsiese Basa Youth Organisation and Isilong Hau for their immediate action and quick response, even when not on duty.
Meanwhile, the SP also launched the Road Safety Cell on the occasion and pointed out that with the construction of new roads, accidents were happening regularly and majority of them were due to negligence and rash driving. He informed that the Kohima Police would also meet the taxi association and bus unions for sensitisation on road safety.
He said that it would also give awareness in neighbouring villages, wards and colonies in the capital to insist on driving within the safety limits while also keeping a check on alcohol and narcotic substance abuse.
K Soriso, Additional Superintendent (Protocol and Traffic), Kohima, Nagaland said the award was initiated and launched with an aim to celebrate and honour selfless acts of kindness of an individual, group or any organisation, which exemplifies extraordinary concern for others and has gone above and beyond their call of duty to assist others in critical times of need and emergencies.
The officer informed that this year, the Good Samaritan award was presented to Tsiese Basa Youth organisation for stepping out of their comfort zone and extending their helping hands to the 27 victims of the ill-fated Dimapur bound Tuensang night super bus which met with an accident on June 5, 2022 at around 7:45 am at Tsiesema village near Dzüdza bridge. They not only helped them with the much needed first aid but the victims were also immediately rushed to the nearby hospitals for medical attention, thereby potentially saving many lives, he said.
The Good Samaritan Award was also presented to UBC Isilong Hau of North Police Station, who on October 26, 2021 rushed a minor, who was knocked down by a car at TCP gate, to Oking hospital for immediate medical attention.
“He was off duty that day but his prompt and admirable act not only saved a precious life but has also inspired us all to live up to our calling and justify the saying that a police officer is never off duty,” he said.
The awardees were presented with a citation and cash award of INR 5,000.
The Road Safety Cell officially became operational starting Tuesday.
Soriso maintained that the demography of Kohima is changing with every passing day and with an increase in its population, the number of vehicles and volume of flow of vehicles are also increasing exponentially.
He asserted that this is posing a great challenge to the traffic personnel because vehicular accidents and casualties were on the rise and becoming an everyday affair.
The officer said that a case study was conducted in Kohima and it had been observed that one contributing factor was lack of knowledge and awareness about basic road safety principles.
He pointed out that in its efforts to tackle these road menaces, the Road Safety Cell was conceptualised to create awareness, disseminate and sensitise the citizens about road safety issues within the district.
The programme was chaired by Manom Waalim, Dy SP (Traffic) Kohima and vote of thanks was proposed by Vitoshe K Sumi, Additional Superintendent of Police, Kohima while dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. Vesotsu Rhakho, Pastor PUBC.