While asserting to defend society, land and honour at all cost from a culture of threat and killing, Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) has strongly condemned the murder of police inspector Neiphretuo Metsieo by Yuireingam Ronra Shimray and Ringthingchon from Manipur on September 7.
In a statement issued by its president Neinguvotuo Krose and general secretary Kekhrie Pfukha, AYO appealed to the investigating agencies and prosecutors to press for maximum penalty and declared that they would not accept anything lesser than capital punishment to serve as deterrent for future generations.
The organisation further warned that anyone trying to bail out the two accused or act as their bailer(s) would be held equally responsible for the crime, adding that the Angamis would boycott them socially along with the tribe they belong to till the “barbaric” murder case was settled.
AYO also appealed to every Angami, especially the youth, to participate in the public procession to be organised by it on Wednesday.
While expressing its profound gratitude to all people and police forces of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland, besides Railway Protection Force personnel, all of whom were involved in the prompt identification and subsequent arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous crime, the organisation also resented the statement issued by Tangkhul tribe to which the perpetrators belonged for trying to justify the crime even as the bereaved family was still under deep mourning.
AYO also warned other tribes not to shelter any such criminals in Angami jurisdiction. It said, if anyone sheltered criminals, the Angamis would hold the entire tribe equally guilty
While vehemently condemning the “calculated and cold-blooded murder” of Neiphretuo Metsieo for robbery, the organisation alleged that it was a pre-determined crime meticulously executed by the two accused, resulting in the “barbaric murder of an officer, a husband, a father and above all a fellow human being”. It asserted the crime fitted into the category of “rarest of rare” case and deserved “befitting punishment”.
According to AYO, the accused deserved social boycott and stigma. Recalling that many precious lives were wiped out and silenced in the guise of Naga movement, the organisation further said the murder of “our officer” reminded everyone about the “dark days” that still haunted many.