Nagaland peaceful in 1998-99

Kohima, July 15: The Nagaland government has claimed that overall situation in the state during 1998-99 remained peaceful even as the Opposition parties charged the government with failing to maintain peace and amity. In its annual administrative report, the State Home department claimed that 'barring some stray incidents of violence, the law-and-order situation by and large remained peaceful during the year.' The report was tabled on Tuesday on the opening day of the ongoing week-long Budget session of the State Assembly. During the period, antisocial elements were dealt with firmly and till the end of February last, 85 undergrounds of various groups were arrested, out of which 23 had been detained under National Security Act (NSA), the report said. According to the report, 21 arms of various types and sizeable quantity of ammunition were recovered from 672 criminals arrested and booked under different provisions of law. Police also seized 1,506 kg of ganja, 38,212 capsules of banned drugs and 23 grams of heroin, and culprits involved in those cases had been charge-sheeted. The department claimed that the money looted from Zunheboto SBI branch during Christmas was recovered by state police personnel and 12 culprits involved in the incident were arrested. However, NSCN (I-M) had earlier claimed that their senior leaders took prompt action when they were informed that lower level cadres of the organisation robbed the bank branch in connivance with police personnel guarding the bank and recovered the looted money. Out of Rs 1.83 crore looted from the bank, so far Rs 1.77 crore has been recovered. To make Nagaland police force more combat-oriented in dealing with law-and-order problems, the Centre extended Rs 9 crore for upgradation and modernisation under Tenth Finance Commission awards, out of which Rs 5.5 crore had already been approved, the report said. The Centre also sanctioned Rs 2.19 crore as special assistance for modernisation of the police force, besides providing vehicles, arms and ammunition worth Rs 6.14 crore. The report claimed that the government paid special attention for welfare of policemen during the year.