Braving the summer heat, thousands of people today joined a massive rally in Dimapur demanding justice for late Kesutlungle, a 31-year-old woman brutally murdered in Pimla on April 7 this year. The rally with the banner, “Justice for the murder of our sister”, jointly organized by the Zeliangrong Youth Organization (ZYON), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN), Zeliangrong Mipui Organization (ZMON) and Western Naga Youth Front (WNYF), with support from Dimapur-based civil societies, strongly criticized the State Government for its “failure to deliver justice” even after more than five months of the incident.

Speakers at the rally alleged lapses in the investigation and accused the government of indifference. One speaker termed the government as the “weakest,” unable to protect women. “If they are serious, why have they failed to deliver justice in the past five months?” he asked, while urging Nagas to unite and fight for truth and justice.

Another speaker alleged that the government only makes “commitments after commitments” without concrete action, adding, “This is not only the cause of the Zeliangrong people but of all Nagas.”

Representatives of several organizations such as ZYO, ZSUN, Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland, Naga Women Hoho, DNSU, WNYF, Naga Council Dimapur, Zeliang Women Organization, Dimapur Rengma Mothers Association among others echoed same views while demanding justice for the victim. While the speakers demanded that the culprits are booked as per the law, they stressed that the incident be viewed not as a crime against women but against humanity.  “Justice for one woman, is justice for all women. Deliver justice, book the culprits,” one of the speakers said.

“This is not about a murder case, but of delayed justice and negligence of the government,” a speaker said while referring to justice being delayed.

A family member of the victim also addressed the rally.

A family member of the victim addressing the rally in Dimapur on August 25

On the occasion, a memorandum was submitted to the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, with an ultimatum demanding that the names of the culprits/accused persons involved in the case be made public within 15 days and that the pending Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report be submitted within the same time frame. The organizations further demanded that a Forensic Laboratory be set up in Nagaland, warning that they would seek redressal from higher authorities if their demands are not met.

Signed by ZYON president R. John Zeliang, ZMON president Apeuna Iheilung and ZSUN president Adaube Hieka Hau, the memorandum termed the delay in declaring the accused and in obtaining the FSL report a “serious lapse in the investigation,” causing “immense mental agony” to the victim’s family and eroding public confidence in the justice system. It also warned that the ultimatum should be treated as the “final notice” before legal proceedings are initiated.

Meanwhile, the office of the Commissioner of Police issued a press note detailing the progress of the case. Police said they received information on April 7 about a suspected murder near NSCN (IM) Martyrs Park, Pimla, following which a team from Chumoukedima Police Station, Women Police Station, and the forensic unit conducted an inquest. The deceased was identified as Kesutlungle Newme (31), wife of Chubatemsu Jamir of Mhaikam village.

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According to DCP (Crime)/PRO, late Kesutlungle was a daily wage earner engaged in selling vegetables, and on April 7, had gone to the vicinity of NSCN (IM) Martyrs Park to purchase bananas. Later that evening, her body was found near a pond, brutally murdered. An FIR was lodged, and a case was registered at Women PS.

Police said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted, and through repeated examination of the crime scene and other locations, sufficient evidence was collected. On April 10, an accused was arrested for committing the crime “in a fit of rage while under the influence of alcohol.” An interim chargesheet has been filed, and the accused was found prima facie liable under Section 103(1) of the BNS. A supplementary chargesheet will be filed once the FSL report is received.

The DCP (Crime) further informed that since Nagaland lacks an in-house DNA division, the FSL report is awaited from an out-of-state facility. He added that under the Victim Compensation Scheme, the Peren District Legal Services Authority has processed relief for the minor child of the deceased.