Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) and Konyak Students’ Union Dimapur (KSUD) have condemned the alleged physical abuse of a minor boy from the Konyak community in Kohima.
AKM through its president Lanutoshi Aier and general secretary Satemmongba expressed anguish and condemned the alleged physical assault on a nine-year-old boy by one Wapang L Imsong, son of Limawati Imsong and serving as an LDA-cum-computer operator under 10 IR Battalion, Zadima (attached to police engineering project PHQ).
AKM said it was horrified by the sheer brutality inflicted upon the child, who, at his tender age, deserved care, compassion, and a nurturing environment for holistic growth and safety.
Asserting that such a behaviour had no place in a civilised society and that it must be dealt with by the law of the land without bias or leniency, they urged the authorities concerned to initiate strict and immediate legal action against Wapang L Imsong to ensure that justice was served transparently.
They stated that it was alarming and unacceptable that government personnel entrusted with discipline and duty would stoop to such a barbaric level.
Maintaining that such an act was a gross violation of child rights and human dignity, governed under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, they mentioned that it also infringed upon the fundamental Right to Life as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
They demanded that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes must be prosecuted without delay under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Furthermore, the duo declared that the AKM stood in solidarity with the Konyak community and the victim’s family.
They called upon all conscientious citizens and civil society organisations to raise their voice against such crimes and work together to create a safer, just, and humane society for all children.
KSUD: Konyak Students’ Union Dimapur (KSUD) expressed outrage over the incident and said that the minor was reportedly subjected to prolonged physical abuse while working as a domestic helper for over a year.
In a press release, KSUD president Nokwang Konyak and general secretary T Nokchah condemned “inhuman, barbaric, and criminal act.” The union said it was both heartbreaking and infuriating that a child—who should be nurtured and protected—was instead subjected to trauma and cruelty under the very roof where he should have felt safe. “The fact that this abuse was perpetrated by a person in public service only adds to the gravity of the offense,” KSUD asserted.
Further, the union said that the incident was a gross violation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and a direct affront to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and dignity. It said that employing a child as a domestic worker and inflicting violence upon him were serious criminal offenses that must be met with the full force of the law.
KSUD affirmed solidarity with Konyak Students’ Union Kohima (KSUK) and all stakeholders demanding justice. The union urged the Nagaland police and relevant authorities to ensure that justice was not delayed and that the accused was prosecuted under appropriate sections of the law without bias or leniency.
KSUD also appealed to the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, District Child Protection Unit, and civil society organizations to actively monitor and intervene in this case to ensure the child’s rehabilitation and protection.
Stating that it was not an isolated incident, the union said the incident was a stark reflection of a broader societal problem where children from marginalized communities were exploited and silenced. KSUD affirmed it would not remain silent, but continue to raise voice against any form of abuse and injustice meted out to their children and people.