Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JUN 9 (NPN): Dimapur Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union (DENSU) stated that the arrest of three accused in the alleged sexual assault (POCSO) of a minor girl in Dimapur marks only the beginning of a larger pursuit of justice, and also demanded the arrest of the woman who shared the video allegedly disclosing the identity of the victim.
Addressing media after attending an awareness programme held at Town Hall on Tuesday, DENSU general secretary Sheren Shiu condemned the act as deeply inhumane, highlighting the long-term trauma such exposure would inflict on the child.
“Whoever is involved in this case must be arrested. We will not stop until justice is delivered,” she said, adding that DENSU would continue to stand firm in its demand for accountability.
DENSU also demanded the immediate arrest of the woman involved in recording and circulating the video of the minor victim, calling it a grave violation of the POCSO Act and the child’s dignity.
Calling for collective awakening, she urged society, especially women, to speak out against such crimes and support survivors. “If we Naga people do not come together and fight today, we as a people will lose,” she stated. She further noted that DENSU has been and would continue to cooperate with law enforcement, asserting that the student body has immense faith in them.
She, however, cautioned that if justice is not delivered, trust in law enforcement as a whole would die.
Shiu also informed that after DENSU took up the case, she had received messages from rape victims who had been silenced, reiterating that the protest was not only for the minor but for all mothers, sisters and grandmothers. “Falsehood and deception are killing us, killing our women,” she lamented.
DENSU president Thongule Sangtam also reiterated that the union’s movement represents solidarity not only with the victim but also with many others who remain unheard.
The union further reiterated its demand that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) be constituted at the state level with direct monitoring by the Director General of Police (DGP), instead of remaining limited to the district level.
He also called for strict enforcement of provisions under the POCSO Act, particularly regarding the prohibition on disclosing a minor victim’s identity.
Dwelling on the video that is going viral on social media platforms, Sangtam emphasised the need to trace those responsible for recording and circulating it, stating that modern technology makes it possible to identify the source.
On the third accused, who has been identified as the GB of Residency Colony, Sangtam raised concern about the safety of citizens and questioned whether the GB Union had taken any step against the culprit.
He further informed that DENSU has spoken to all organisations and apex bodies not to place their children in vulnerable situations under the pretext of education, adding that if they have to be placed elsewhere, they should be kept only under their own trusted relatives or guardians. He also said the student body should be informed so that physical verification can be conducted.
Other DENSU leaders later stated that they were following the law and had accordingly submitted a memorandum outlining their demands, and warned of intensified action if the demands were not met.