The Nagaland government on Friday suspended senior officials in Dimapur — the Deputy Commissioner, Wezope Kenye, Superintendent of Police Meren Jamir and Senior Superintendent of Jail in-charge of the Central Jail, B. Chuba Phom — over the lynching by a mob of a rape accused on Thursday.
The mob had stormed the Central Jail, dragged out accused Syed Farid Khan before parading him naked and beating him to death on the streets of Dimapur town.
The decision to suspend the officials was taken at a cabinet meeting, chaired by Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang to take stock of the situation in Dimapur following the mob violence “The cabinet also decided that the persons who had incited, instigated or encouraged the mob be arrested and prosecuted,” stated in an official release. The Cabinet also decided to appoint a probe panel headed by retired District and Sessions Judge Veprasa Nyekha, to inquire into the incident.
The Nagaland Government also directed all the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to urgently take steps to protect the minority communities in their districts and to prevent untoward incidents.
“The Cabinet also regretted and condoled the death of Syed Farid Khan and Inito Swu, and directed that appropriate ex-gratia be paid to the families of the deceased,” the release stated.
