Western Sumi Hoho, Pimla authorities clarify assault

Dimapur, August 5 : The Western Sumi Hoho and the village authorities of Pimla village in Dimapur have denounced the reported August 3 assault of a couple by an antisocial in an act that some groups called tribally motivated. The ‘hoho’ and the Pimla Village Council issued press releases on Friday. The Western Sumi Hoho has assured that the unfortunate incident was not a tribal issue but purely an act of miscreants from Pimla village ‘for their selfish interest.’ The ‘hoho’ also clarified that on the same day of the incident, the Pimla Village Council had taken up the matter and apprehended the miscreants involved and handed them over to Diphupar Police Station the same evening itself. The same matter was conveyed to the secretary of the ‘Zeliang People Organization Nagaland’ on August 4, the organization stated. The Western Sumi Hoho has requested organizations in concern to “kindly have proper consultation before issuing any press release so as not to create any misunderstanding and confusion between peace loving tribes / communities and also appeal to the organization(s) not to make a tribal issue out of every stray incident.” The organization prayed for speedy recovery of the victims. Likewise, K Lughozhe Swu, GB and village council chairman of Pimla issued a press release on Friday. He clarified that the “unwanted incident” occurred at Pimla-Jalukie junction. During the incident, a resident of Pimla named Vito, who was in an inebriated condition, ‘manhandled the driver of a taxi and his wife.’ The council stated: “Immediately on receipt of the information, I rushed to the spot and first aid (medical treatment) was given to both the victims and assured the victims and the co-passengers that action will be taken as per law and I also apologized to them. Accordingly the accused was apprehended at 9 PM on the same day (03/08/16) and was handed over to the Diphuphar Police Station, Dimapur, with a request that the accused should not be given bail without the consent of the Pimla Village Council.” The village has stated in assurance that the incident was committed by an individual and no other person was involved. “It was purely an individual to another individual incident and has no tribal color whatsoever. Further, to substantiate my statement and for peaceful co-existence between Pimla and neighboring villages and to curb such unwanted incidences, I have since long given my contact number to the people especially to the driver, so that I may be contacted at any given point of time when the need arise,” the press release stated. The note expressed apology to the victims, and to the co-passengers and the public in general for the incident and assured that there was ‘no tribal color.’