Security personnel attempt to remove a vehicle that had been torched when a mob dragged an alleged rapist out of prison and lynched him on Thursday. (Picture: Press Trust of India)
Curfew continues to be in place in Nagaland's Dimapur after a mob dragged an alleged rapist out of jail, beat him to death and hung his body from a clock tower. Security has been tightened on the border between Nagaland and Assam, after the Centre issued a high alert in the two states. The Nagaland government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident and has suspended three officials.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Nagaland government on the incident. The Army has been placed on standby in Nagaland and Assam to deal with any possible increase in tensions, with the funeral of the rape-accused man set to take place today in Dimapur. The Nagaland government has also sought the assistance of paramilitary forces to maintain law and order in the area.
One person, alleged to have been part of the mob that lynched the man, has died of injuries sustained in police firing, and five others have been injured. The police action had come in a bid to control the situation when a mob of almost 10,000 people broke into the prison and dragged the alleged rapist out on Thursday afternoon. Syed Sarif Uddin Khan had been accused of raping a Naga woman, and was in judicial custody when the incident took place. Arounf 20 people have been arrested so far in connection to the lynching.
The Nagaland government meanwhile has suspended three officials - Dimapur District Collector, Superintendent of Police and the Jailor of the Dimapur Central Prison - for their failure to control the situation. The decision had been taken at a meeting of the state cabinet on Friday.
The lynching has also been condemned in Assam, by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while the opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has demanded a CBI probe.