Blood money

When ABSI Neiphretuo Metsie-o of 5 NAP posted at Pfutsero, went missing on September 7 and was not heard of even a day or two afterwards, nobody expected what was to come. Many thought that the missing policeman may have gone on some hunting expedition. However, the brutally bludgeoned and decomposed body that was later found in a jungle on September 15 between Lasumi and Zapami village under Zuketsa circle, Pfutsero sub-division, told another story of horror. It seemed that the policeman had picked up two hitch hikers- a male and another female and it is yet to be ascertained if the victim knew either of the two. The fourth passenger, a policeman(Lance Naik) got off at Zuketsa and the trio proceeded onwards to Pfutsero. The murder was committed at a place between Lasumi and Zapami where the body was found. The male identified as Yuireingam Ronra Shimray(24) and son of Starson Shimray of Kharasom Lazo village under Ukhrul district Manipur, was caught on September 16 at Guwahati railway station by RPF and Assam Police , while female accomplice- Ringthingchon of Lunghar village under Ukhrul district- was arrested earlier on September 15 in Ukhrul. The motive for the crime is suspected to be theft of Scorpio. It was reported that the vehicle was later recovered from Meluri a distance of around 162 Kms. That means, after bludgeoning the policeman, the main accused had all the time in the world to move around. From September 7, the day the policeman may have been murdered the duo had driven around. One report stated that both had stayed at a nearby village under Manipur and later the main accused may have driven the stolen Scorpio back to Phek district to dispose off the vehicle. When the dead body of the policeman was discovered on September 15,the main accused shifted to Dimapur and the next day, boarded the Dibrugarh-Rangiya Express to Guwahati at 12.30 p.m. and six hours later after arriving Guwahati, he was finally overpowered and arrested. The particular case again rings a similar reminder about the laxity of the law. For instance, when the policeman was reported missing on September 11, four days later; there should have been a record of vehicles crossing the check gates. There are police outposts along areas and towns which should have been issued with red alert about the missing vehicle with the policeman. There is definitely a need to review the prevailing system of surveillance of vehicles. In the past too, many stolen vehicles were able to cross the check gates. There has to be some serious review about strengthening the system in the check gates. Though it may be inconvenient to the community of VVIPs in Nagaland who fume if asked to stop for checks; the higher ups must introduce a strict checking regime so that stolen vehicles or criminals fleeing the law are nabbed. The murder of the policeman should wake up those managing slothful system where even the enforcement of ILP has turned into a farce. In the meantime, justice for the slain policeman demands that those responsible be awarded the severest punishment and family rehabilitated with government job and ex gratia.