DIMAPUR— Two days after youth organisations in Wokha chopped off the hair of two women in Wokha town as a punishment for alleged drug peddling in Tsumang colony, the deputy commissioner of Wokha and the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) have expressed concern over the civil bodies taking law into their own hands.
Related news: Youth humiliate drug peddlers by chopping off their hair in Nagaland
The DC Wokha, Ajit Kumar Ranjan, on Tuesday, wrote to the Tsumang ‘A’ and ‘B’ youth organisations and the Lotha Eloe Hoho, stating that the manner in which they dealt “with the suspected case of drug peddling is not within the boundaries of the law and will prove to be self-defeating in our collective fight against the drug menace”.
Pointing out that such action may aggravate the stigmatisation of persons affected by drug abuse and hamper the efforts of the community and the government in reaching out to them for de-addiction and treatment, he advised the organisations to first approach the DC office if there are grievances against any law enforcement agency.
He said the fundamental right of citizens to life and liberty guaranteed by the Constitution of India should be protected and the acute drug abuse challenge can be won ‘only with collective and co-operative approach of all the stakeholders within the boundaries of law’.
He added that any extreme measures outside such boundaries will not only make the organisations vulnerable to punitive action but also distract the fight against drugs.
He went on to remind the organisations to act within the boundaries of the law by providing proactive information to law enforcement agencies and raising awareness amongst the public regarding drug menace.
The NSCW condemned the hair-chopping incident in Wokha, terming it as an “abhorrent act of crime and an “unwarranted act of taking law into their own hands which violated the human rights of the two women”.
While stating that the “alarming rate of drug menace” in the state is a burning issue, Chairperson of NSCW, W Nginyeih Konyak, in a press release, gave a clarion call to all the district administration and law enforcement agencies to initiate mass awareness and sensitisation programmes on women’s safety and security at the grassroots level.
She added that community involvement and collective effort from various stakeholders including the authorities, educational institutions, churches and NGOs can give more impetus to the safety and security of women and the public in general of the state.
“The NSCW further stated that various rehabilitation and restorative measures should be initiated from a holistic perspective as one of the road maps to effectively fight against the existing drug menace,” read the press release.
It may be mentioned that the Tsumang 'A' and 'B' youth organisations had jointly taken out a silent procession with the Lotha Eloe Hoho and women leaders at Wokha Town on Monday, after which the hair of the two accused was chopped off, an act some Naga communities practice as a punishment for certain offences. A joint representation was later submitted to the police and Wokha district administration.
The youth bodies had claimed that the accused were caught red-handed and that they were compelled to take action as the two ladies continued to peddle drugs despite being penalised several times in the past and even handed over to the police.