Zeliangrong Youth Organization Nagaland has served a four-day ultimatum on the state government demanding the immediate release of the post-mortem and forensic report and the arrest of the culprit(s) involved in the April 7 rape and murder case from Mhaikam village, Peren district.
The ultimatum, announced during a peace rally held in Jalukie on Thursday, was declared by ZYON president R. John Zeliang, who warned that failure to meet the demands within the stipulated time would lead to further agitation.
“If the government fails to act within four days from today, we will organize another rally—and this time, it will not be a peace rally,” John cautioned. He further asserted that any untoward incident during the next phase of protest will be the sole responsibility of the state government.
The rally, organized by joint Zeliangrong organisations, was attended by hundreds of citizens, student bodies, and civil society representatives from various tribes who voiced their outrage over the heinous crime and demanded justice for the victim.
Later a memorandum was submitted to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Jalukie by Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland, Zeliangrong Youth Organization and Zeliangrong Mipui Organizations.
Condemning the alleged heinous rape and murder, the organisations expressed outrage and called for immediate and strict action against the perpetrator(s). They outlined six key demands addressed to the administration: Immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including: Section 302 (Punishment for murder), Section 376 (Punishment for rape), Section 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence) and Section 506 (Criminal intimidation).
They demanded a thorough and impartial investigation to ensure justice for the victim and the family. To enhance security measures to prevent such crimes in the future, including deployment of additional police personnel in the area, setup special task force to probe crimes against women and children.
The organizations also demanded compensation and support for the victim’s family, in accordance with the law, including financial aid under the Victim Compensation Scheme and counseling and rehabilitation services
It also sought for action against any officials or individuals who may have contributed to the incident through negligence or complicity.
Further, the organizations demanded implementation of measures to prevent such incidents in the future, including awareness campaigns on women’s rights and safety, community policing initiatives and strengthening existing laws and regulations to protect women and children.
The organisations also expressed their willingness to engage in dialogue with the authorities to explore collaborative approaches to prevent such incidents in the future.
Besides, presidents of Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSU-N), Zeliangrong Youth Organization Nagaland, Zeliangrong Mipui Organization Nagaland, the joint memorandum was also signed by Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland, Nagaland Zeliang People Organization, and Mhaikam Village Council.