Nagaland's Dimapur lynching: Situation under control; 43 arrested

Curfew was relaxed and markets reopened after three days

The situation in Dimapur town of Nagaland, where a mob lynched a rape accused, was today returning to normalcy with curfew being relaxed and markets reopening after three days even as more arrests were made in connection with the incident.

Curfew has been relaxed from 6 a.m to 12 noon and the situation is "under control", DIG (Range, NAP) Liremo Lotha, who is officiating as Dimapur SP in the wake of the suspension of the SP after the lynching incident, said.

The situation will be reviewed at noon and if necessary, curfew might be reimposed, he said.

Prohibitory orders under Sec 144 CrPc will be in force after noon, he said.

The total number of persons taken under custody has risen to 43, the DIG said.

Meanwhile, business activities were returning to normal with markets opening after three days.

The curfew was clamped in Dimapur town since 3 p.m yesterday to maintain peace.

Internet and SMS/MMS blackout in the state, which was imposed on Saturday night after videos related to the lynching of the rape accused in Dimapur surfaced on the net, will continue till 6 PM today, official sources said.

The accused, Syed Farid Khan was arrested for raping a woman in Dimapur on February 24 and remanded in judicial custody in the Dimapur Central Jail the following day.

The man was beaten to death after being pulled out of a jail by the mob on March 5.

The accused was dragged naked to the main town and he died of the injuries he suffered, a senior official said.

He was buried at his native village in Karimganj district of Assam amidst tight security yesterday.

Preliminary medical report of the woman confirmed that she had been raped, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G Akheto Seema had said yesterday.