Ruzazho Village Council (RVC) has expressed resentment against Assam Rifles for apprehending one its members, Velasayi Sapuh, on January 10 midnight at his resident Agri-Forest Colony Kohima and “torturing him using all different ways until he was forced to sign the false accused document”.
In the press release, RVC chairman Jolelhu Veswuh and secretary Vevota Swuro claimed that on that fateful night, the other tenants were also not spared but harassed by randomly searching their rooms causing mental tortured to the small children and women also.
The council claimed that Assam Rifles after searching the room manipulated the neighbour to sign a piece of paper “no objection certificate” without knowing the contents. However, RVC said the victim’s wife on finding that the paper stated that one 0.22 pistol was found in their house and refused to sign the document. The Assam Rifles whisked her and forcefully made her to sign the paper, RVC claimed.
The village council also claimed that in the year 2016 January, the victim, Velasayi Sapuh, was apprehended by Assam Rifles and manipulated him to sign the document falsely accusing him as deputy kilonser of NSCN (K).
RVC said that these two incidents have led the council to suspect some “foul play or conspiracy” for which the life of Velasayi Sapuh has been threatened.
The council also pointed out that Velasayi Sapuh was found to be innocent when tried by the first class magistrate’s court vide criminal case no. 3 for 2016 incident. The council clarified that he neither joined any underground faction before nor was involved in any anti-national activity.
RVC while condemning such act towards its member said that the so called “Friends of the hills people” who were sent out with the sole mission of protecting its country’s citizens has instilled “fear psychosis in the minds of its citizens by arresting, torturing and manipulation”. The council stated the repercussions of these callous behaviour and abuse of power by Assam Rifles personnel would hamper the patriotic spirit of the Indian nation and they would achieve exactly to opposite of what they were sent out to achieve.
Further, RVC has urged the state government to set up an independent inquiry commission to unearth the truth behind the conspiracy of torturing innocent citizen, book the responsible person (s) and initiate appropriate action as per the law of the land.