Kohima remained calm on Friday morning with no further incidents of violence being reported from the Capital city of Nagaland. Five Army columns were deployed in the city on Thursday evening after thousands of members of tribal groups went on a rampage setting government buildings ablaze, reported The Hindu. The protestors want the state government to rollback the 33% reservation for women in the local body elections. The civic polls were called off after two protestors were killed in police firing on Tuesday.
Protests intensified on Thursday evening after Chief Minister TR Zeliang refused to resign from his post, as per their demand. Protestors vandalized government property and set vehicles on fire in the city. The Kohima Municipal Council building, Regional Transport office and the Excise Department office were destroyed by the angry mob.
Protests were carried out in Dimapur as well even though the government had imposed Section 144 that forbids assembly of four or more people. “Situation under control in Dimapur. There was some violence in Kohima, but situation under control now,” Nagaland Director General of Police LL Doungel, told ANI.
Civic polls in the state have been held up since 2004 on the issue of 33% reservation for women in urban local bodies, mandated by Article 243 (T) of the Constitution. Tribal groups have held that the reservations interfered with Naga customary laws and protections guaranteed to them under Article 371(A) of the Constitution.
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