| Dimapur turning into extortionists’ hub |
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 Dimapur, May 15: EXTORTIONS AND harassment from various quarters have become so rampant in Dimapur that doing business in the commercial hub is becoming an untenable proposal.
Members of different groups doing the rounds demanding and collecting money from the shops, big and small, have become an everyday affair, and when they are unable to pay up they are either beaten up or even shot. The situation is reaching such a stage that it will no longer be possible to run any viable business in and around Dimapur.
There are, in fact, already reports of many businesses closing shop and moving to other places due to their inability to carry on their operations here.On Friday, the aggravated business community of Gorapatti, Zakiesato colony at Golagat road under Ward-2, downed their shutters today and staged a dharna in the middle of the highway near New Field Check Gate in protest against the unprecedented wave of extortion taking place in the area since last week. The business community also expressed their discontent over the poor performance of the law enforcing agency in protecting them and stated that the police are never around when they are needed the most. The protest today was a backlash of a series of events that took place during the last three days. On May 12, one PCO owner was beaten up by five miscreants after he failed to pay a sum of Rs 5000 demanded under the name of the GPRN Ministry of Chaplee Affairs. Subsequently, the five miscreants went away after robbing the shop owner of Rs 1500. On May 14, a Cyber Café was looted of Rs 400 along with a mobile, a digital camera and top-up cards after the owner failed to meet the demands of four miscreants who said they were from the GPRN. The miscreants reportedly left with the warning that they would return the next day. SDPO Dimapur had a meeting with the business community and the colony chairman early Friday morning after the traders refused to open their shops in apprehension. Traffic was brought to a halt for over an hour after the business people led by the DMC Chairperson and Dimapur Chamber of Commerce (DDCC) President sat on the highway to wait for the administration and police officials to arrive for a deliberation on the security situation. Shop owners in the area said most of the miscreants harassing them in the name of underground factions were mostly youths residing in Niu colony, Burma camp. However, they voiced wariness at divulging identities for fear of worse repercussions. According to the traders and residents there, if it was not cash then their mobiles and other belongings, including food commodities, are forcefully snatched away by the miscreants after invading their homes and shops. DMC chairperson Khekaho Assumi and DDCC president Kashito lashed out at the administration and the law enforcing agency for failing to protect the business community despite the unprecedented harassment taking place. Kashito also said the business community will be forced to go on indefinite strike if the situation deteriorates. DMC chairperson mooted the setting up of a Resident Welfare Association (RWA) in all 23 wards to keep vigil over the welfare of the business community and residents. An emergency meeting has been called on Friday to take stock of the situation, he also informed. Meanwhile, coming as an immediate breakthrough, police in civvies nabbed one Heto Chishi alias Ato, s/o Akavi Chishi of Niu colony, Burma camp, in the evening while he was extorting money from a businessman at Gorapatti.  |
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