Zeliangrong bodies express disappointment over bail in Pimla murder case

DIMAPUR — The Zeliangrong Youth Organisation Nagaland (ZYON) and the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN) on Tuesday expressed strong disappointment after learning that four individuals, including the prime accused in the Pimla murder case, have been granted bail.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, ZYON President R John Zeliang said both organisations were shocked by the news and sought clarity on the matter. He said they have been closely monitoring the case from the very beginning and pushing authorities to deliver swift justice.

“We felt the need to meet the Commissioner of Police in person and gather first-hand information,” he said.

Zeliang added that the Public Prosecutor of the Deputy Commissioner’s Court, Dimapur, had confirmed the bail order. He also informed that the Commissioner of Police himself was unaware of the development until they brought it to his notice during the meeting.

Expressing concern, Zeliang questioned who would be held responsible should any untoward incident occur. “We can no longer take responsibility,” he said, adding that they would return to their district for consultations with their apex body and other civil society organisations to decide the next course of action. He maintained that until justice is delivered, they would not back down, and that further action was inevitable.

Also read: Pimla murder case: Husband identified as prime suspect, Zeliangrong Youth Organisation suspends agitation

Clarifying that their movement was not just for the Zeliangrong community, Zeliang said this was a fight for all Nagas, especially for the safety and dignity of women across the state. He reminded that the earlier agitation was suspended only after the charge sheet was filed, but the latest development had left them disillusioned. “It feels like the authorities took advantage of our peaceful approach,” he remarked.

He further warned that the Pimla case was not an isolated one, and hinted at the possibility of reviving unresolved cases from the past if justice continued to be delayed. He cautioned the government not to push them into revisiting cases from even 13 or 5 years ago, sending a strong message not to test their patience.

The organisations also criticised the delay in forensic reports, calling on the state government to take responsibility. They pointed out that this was not the first time forensic delays had obstructed justice, and suggested that if the government was serious, it should have already set up a forensic laboratory in the state or ensured better follow-ups with other states where samples were sent.

Zeliang clarified that their dissatisfaction was not simply over the bail but over the prolonged delay in justice, with authorities repeatedly citing pending forensic reports and DNA tests as reasons for the slow progress.

He appealed to all Naga communities to stand united in demanding justice, emphasising that this was a fight for the safety of their women. “Nagaland is a Christian state, not a criminal state. Let’s unite and demand justice together and finish the fight,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, ZSUN President Adaube Hiekha Hau informed that the Commissioner of Police had assured them he would seek an official explanation from the court regarding the bail order and act accordingly. Both organisations said they would await a response before deciding on further action.