APO, Khuzama village council condemn IED blast

Dimapur: The Angami Public Organisation (APO) and Khuzama Village Council have strongly condemned the improvised explosive device (IED) blast near Khuzama village along NH-29 (Dimapur-Imphal road) on November 11, which damaged a retaining wall and surrounding plantation. No casualties were reported.
According to APO, the blast occurred at around 7:25 a.m., while the village council put the time at 7:28 a.m.
In a press statement, APO expressed shock over the incident, which occurred ahead of the festive season when farmers were harvesting, students preparing for final examinations and the business community gearing up for the season.
APO stated that the blast appeared aimed at creating fear and disturbing the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the district and the State. It condemned the attempt to spread panic and disrupt normal life, reiterating that violence had no place in Angami society.
Thanking the Almighty that no casualties were reported, APO appealed to the public to remain vigilant and urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident sincerely and apprehend those responsible at the earliest. It also assured full cooperation with the concerned agencies in identifying the perpetrators and preventing similar incidents.
Meanwhile, Khuzama Village Council described the blast as an unscrupulous and dastardly act, stating that attempts to disrupt normal life and threaten peace and harmony were alien to Naga culture and would not be tolerated.
The council said the incident had shocked and deeply aggrieved villagers, who had never imagined such an act occurring in their vicinity.
Expressing concern over the blast along one of the busiest highways connecting Nagaland and Manipur, the council called upon all stakeholders to remain vigilant and make collective efforts to prevent such incidents.
It demanded that those responsible be identified and apprehended at the earliest. The council also expressed confidence in the concerned agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the case to a logical conclusion, with the perpetrators awarded the severest punishment under the law.