A tragic road accident in the early hours of Thursday claimed the lives of two college students and left two others seriously injured near the Viewpoint area, Tsiesepru, near Old Chümoukedima Heritage Village.
According to police reports, the accident occurred around 12:30 a.m. when four male students, all in their early twenties, were returning from the Viewpoint. The vehicle, a Bolero Invader—reportedly a government-registered vehicle believed to have been acquired through auction– went off the road and plunged approximately 300 feet down a steep slope.
According to police, two of the students, identified as A.N. Shohe and Zayesito Zeliang died on the spot. The other two, Peter Kihomong and C. Phom sustained serious injuries. They were rescued and are currently undergoing treatment at the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Dimapur.
Three of students were reportedly from Sakus Mission College and one from Unity College. All four students were residing in a private hostel in Dimapur while pursuing their studies.
Authorities stated that there were no eyewitnesses to the accident. However, nearby residents reported hearing a loud noise around midnight and suspected a mishap. The wreckage was discovered early in the morning at approximately 6:30 a.m., following which the police and emergency services were alerted.
Given the steep and dangerous terrain, rescue operations were challenging. With assistance from traffic police and local residents, the two injured students were successfully rescued between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
The bodies of the deceased were later retrieved by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) between 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident.
CVYS condoles; issues public advisory on bypass road use
The Chümoukedima Village Youth Society (CVYS) has expressed pain over the tragic road accident that claimed two lives in the early hours of May 15, at Tsiesepru, near the Old Chümoukedima Heritage Village.
CVYS president Sedevikho Tsükrü and general secretary Phrochüzolie Visezo extended heartfelt sympathies to the families of the deceased and wished speedy recovery of the injured individuals.
CVYS said that the ill-fated vehicle plunged nearly 300 meters off the under-construction bypass road in the area. The society also conveyed sincere appreciation to all who extended support during the emergency, with special acknowledgement to the Chümoukedima Traffic Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the local leaders and youths who assisted in the rescue operations.
In light of the tragic incident, CVYS issued a public advisory reiterating its earlier resolution on the use of the Old Village Bypass Road. CVYS reminded the public that all vehicular movement on the bypass road is strictly prohibited with immediate effect, except for vehicles involved in the ongoing construction work and vehicles belonging to landowners in the area.
The bypass will be opened to the public only in the event the main highway becomes inaccessible. The advisory, issued in the interest of public safety, called for the cooperation of the general public and warned that violations of this directive will be dealt with firmly by CVYS. “Let us all remain vigilant and work together to prevent further tragedies,” CVYS stated.