Wokha Deputy Commissioner Ajit Kumar Ranjan, IAS has written to Lotha Eloe Hoho and Tsumang A/B Youth Organisation sharing his concerns over the 17 July incident in Wokha Town where the organisations took ‘action’ on two women suspected to be drug peddlers. The ‘action’ included cutting the women’s hair and processing in the town with signs around their necks that read ‘I am a drug seller’.
“… the path chosen by you to deal with the suspected case of drug peddling is not within the boundaries of law and will prove to be self-defeating in our collective fight against the drug menace”, the DC stated in the communique.
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He mentioned that the representation submitted on 17 July by the organisations urging the need for ‘collective effort’ to control drug menace was commendable and appreciated but that their ‘action’ was not in line with the law. The DC said such action may aggravate stigmatisation of persons affected by drug abuse and will further “hamper the efforts of the community and government in reaching out to them for their de-addiction and treatment.”
He stressed that the battle against drugs can be won only with collective and cooperative approach of all the stakeholders ‘within the boundaries of law’, however any extreme measures will only cause distractions.
DC Ranjan quoted a statement of the Supreme Court during a judgement dated 17 July 2013 in the Tehseen S. Poonawalla case where it said,
“Law has to be regarded as the foundation of a civilised society… every citizen is entitled to enjoy the rights and interest bestowed under the constitutional and statutory law… the majesty of law cannot be sullied simply because an individual or a group generate the attitude that they have been empowered by the principles set out in law to take its enforcement into their own hands and gradually become law unto themselves and punish the violator on their own assumption and in the manner in which they deem fit. They forget that the administration of law is conferred on the lay enforcing agencies and no one is allowed to take law into their own hands….. just as one is entitled to fight for his rights in law, the other is entitled to be treated as innocent till he is found guilty after a fair trial. No act of a citizen is to be adjudged by any kind of community under the guise of protectors of law.”
Wokha DC reiterated that the fundamental right of citizens to life and liberty as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution is sacrosanct for every citizen and should be protected.
He therefore urged the LEH and TYO to act within the boundaries of law which is to to provide all possible support by sharing information with the law enforcement agencies.
Through positive and constructive cooperation of all alone, can we win the war on drugs, the DC stated.
