Slow wheels of justice

The gruesome murder of a 31-year-old mother of one at Pimla on April 7, 2025, has shaken Nagaland’s conscience. She left home around mid-morning that day to purchase bananas but never returned. By evening, a frantic search ended in the discovery of her bruised body, marking the beginning of a tragedy that has continued to unfold in the most disheartening way.While her death sent shockwaves across the community and the state, what followed in the weeks and months after has been equally distressing. The investigation dragged on with little clarity on who was responsible. The husband emerged as the prime suspect, and three days later police arrested him for allegedly killing his wife in a drunken rage, possibly with the assistance of others. An interim charge sheet was filed, citing prima facie evidence under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with the expectation that formal charges would soon follow. However, civil society organisations, especially from Peren district, have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the pace of progress. Their concerns stem not only from the brutality of the crime but also from the slow movement in framing charges, a process that should have advanced swiftly once the accused was taken into custody. The delay, it appears, lies in the pending forensic report, a crucial element of the investigation.Nagaland currently depends on forensic laboratories outside the state, with most tests being conducted in Assam or Kolkata. This dependence creates inevitable bottlenecks. Samples from Nagaland are processed alongside those from other states, without priority, which results in long waiting periods. This newspaper had commented on the issue decades earlier especially in the light of a gruesome murder at a colony in Dimapur. The Pimla murder case also appears to have fallen victim to this systemic gap, leaving both the victim’s family and the public in prolonged uncertainty. The anger of civil society organisations is, therefore, understandable. They demand quicker action to ensure the trial begins without further delay. Yet, there seems to be a lack of clear communication between investigative authorities and the public, particularly regarding the central role forensic reports play in establishing conclusive evidence. Without this clarity, the perception grows that the case is being handled with lethargy or indifference. This situation once again underscores a recurring question: why has Nagaland failed to establish its own forensic laboratory? Despite the creation of a separate department in 1982, and subsequent bifurcation of offices at Kachari Gaon, Dimapur, the state continues to remain dependent on facilities outside its borders. The absence of such an essential institution not only hampers justice in criminal cases but also erodes public trust in the system. The tragedy at Pimla is a grim reminder that justice delayed is indeed justice denied. A family has been torn apart, a child left without a mother, and a community forced to wait endlessly for closure. The state must take this case as a wake-up call to strengthen its forensic infrastructure, speed up judicial processes, and reassure its citizens that the law is both capable and committed to delivering justice.