Police arrests woman with pangolin scales worth over Rs 18 Lakh
Kohima: Kohima police arrested one woman for smuggling ten kilograms of pangolin scales, an endangered ant-eater species, worth over Rs 18.6 Lakh in the international market, on February 20 at Peducha Check Gate under Kohima district. According to official sources on Sunday, the case has been registered as the first case of Wildlife Protection Act by Kohima police after constituting the ‘District Police Wildlife Crime Control Unit Committee.’ The arrested woman identified as one Dinag alias Ditan Gangmei (45) from Khamsom village in Senapati of Manipur and presently residing at Eralibil, Garo Basti of Dimapur was arrested and has been kept in police custody. The arrested person has been accordingly booked under Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for illegal possession of wildlife products and forwarded to judicial custody. Sources said the seized pangolin scales are ‘reportedly’ worth US $ 3000 which is about Rs 1, 86, 676.35 per kilogram in international market and was smuggled into the state from Assam to be delivered to a client in Manipur for exporting it further to Myanmar. On close inspection, sources said the scales were found to be as hard as ivory and rhino horn and that it is reportedly used in manufacture of traditional medicine, jewellery and hand-held weapons etc. for which, there is a high demand in the international markets. Sources added that scales of five pangolins would weigh one kilogram. (UNI)
Nagaland MLAs condemn attacks on houses of 2 MLAs
Kohima: A meeting of the legislators of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Sunday unanimously condemned the attacks on the residences of two legislators in Dimapur and Kohima and appealed to the right thinking citizens to condemn the incidents. A release issued by the Media Cell of the Chief Minister Office informed that an emergency meeting of the legislators was held on Sunday at the Chief Minister’s Office to take stock of the law and order situation prevailing in the state, and passed resolutions. The legislators present in the meeting resolved to condemn in the strongest manner the firing incident in the Dimapur residence of Dr Benjongliba Aier, MLA and former Minister, on the night of February 18, whereby some miscreants fired from rifles at the residence and also lobbed grenade in the compound, which fortunately did not exploded, and another incident near the residence of Deo Nukhu and Y Vikheho Swu, both Parliamentary Secretaries at Kohima this morning, wherein a bomb was exploded by some miscreants, causing damage to the fencing and some vehicles parked on the road side, fortunately nobody was injured. The legislators while condemning the two incidents appealed to all right thinking citizens and NGOs to condemned such act of violence, and resolved not to be cowed down by such cowardly acts, the release said. (UNI)
Nagaland RALH condemns actions of Assam on DAB
Kohima: The Ralan Area Lotha Hoho (RALH) under Wokha district of Nagaland, has condemned the decision of the Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat in Assam for imposing 144 Cr. P. C. at B and C sector of Lotha area in the Disturbed Area Belt (DAB). In a statement from RALH Chairman Hayithung Lotha and Secretary, C. S. Ovung further condemned the DC’s ‘intention and decision to enforce his own rule of law, by allowing forceful settlement of the Adivasi tenants in the land belonging to the Lotha Naga.’ The Hoho reminded that any decision taken on land issue without consultation with the landowners shall not be accepted. Meanwhile, alleging that the DC on February 20 at CRPF camp, Jandalashung ‘B’ village, had remarked ‘to shoot at the Nagas at any given situation,’ RALH condemned the same. Further, the Hoho appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately withdraw the SSB from Ralan area ‘as the SSB are only following the orders and directives of the DC of Golaghat,’ the statement said. (UNI)
Church council calls for prayer for peace in Tuensang
Kohima: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), in view of the ‘alarming increase in persecution’ of Christians in India and around the world and the conflict situation in Tuensang, has called upon all its member churches to stand in solidarity with the suffering believers through prayer and fasting on February 28 in their respective churches. In a press release on Sunday the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) further requested all the churches to cooperate with the directives send by their respective associations. Meanwhile, Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) said it was appreciative of all, who were willing to “support the cause of the suffering sisters and brothers – as your prayers do make a difference.” “The atrocities and conflict taking place around the world may be beyond our power, but not God’s,” it said. (UNI)