DIMAPUR, Aug 23 - Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has instructed the State Government to take immediate steps to provide full protection to all citizens in order to ensure that business, trade and commerce run smoothly.
The Governor gave the instruction while expressing concern over the recent killing of a businessman and the attack on another businessman in Dimapur by miscreants.
�If you want development and prosperity, law and order and security is pre-essential,� Acharya said in a communiqu� issued by Raj Bhavan yesterday. He also said the State Govern-ment should take all care while security agencies should be alerted on law and order.
The Governor reminded that the Government of India had taken a strong and welcome step to solve the political problem, which remained unsolved for more than 18 years. He, therefore, cautioned that the situation should not be disturbed.
Further, he said, extortion and environment of fear were not conducive for the progress of Nagaland and appealed for peace. He also assured that the government will take strong action against the culprits.
After observing that there were 92 Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs), some of whom have been in jail for more than two years, the Governor directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate, the Advocate General and government advocates to consider expediting the trial case and dispose them off without delay. According to the communiqu�, the Governor gave the direction after he visited District Jail Kohima on Saturday. Acharya maintained that no UTP should be held inside a prison without trial for more than six months.
He reiterated that the objective of law was to reform prisoners by helping them to return to the mainstream of society and not push them into becoming hardened criminals through delay in justice.
