Mob torches municipal building, curfew in Kohima

NAGALAND PROTESTS

THE AGITATION in Nagaland against holding urban local bodies’ elections with 33 per cent quota for women took another ugly turn on Thursday when irate mobs set on fire the Kohima Municipal Council building and damaged a dozen government vehicles. Indefinite curfew was imposed in the state capital.

“The situation is tense. Mobs set fire to the Kohima Municipal Council building. The fire spread and damaged the adjoining transport authority office apart from some private buildings. Several government vehicles were also damaged. Indefinite curfew was imposed in the city from 7 pm,” Nagaland DGP L L Goungel said.

Thestategovernmentdeclared theincompletecivicelections“null and void”, with Chief Minister T R Zeliang saying the Dimapur Police Commissioner and DCP (Zone 1) were transferred to ensure a fair probe into the police firing in Dimapur on Tuesday, in which two persons were killed.

Earlier in the day, the newly formed Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) demanded immediate resignation of the CM, holding him responsible for the death of the two youths as also his government’s alleged failure to respect the wishes of the people and going ahead with the civic elections.

In the morning, the Joint Coordination Committee, which had been spearheading the agitation, was dissolved to form the NTAC. Leaders of various tribes — Zeliang, Chakhesang, Ao, Pochury, Rengma, Sumi, Lotha and those of the Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation representing six tribes from its region — were included in it.

Later, the NTAC submitted a memorandum to Governor P B Acharya, blaming Zeliang and his Cabinet for the situation. Protesters also refused to cremate the bodies of the two youths killed in police firing.

PTI The fire at the Kohima Municipal Council building also damaged adjoining buildings.