Nagaland: Dimapur police enforce prohibitory orders ahead of airport land eviction drive

In a move to ensure law and order during the impending eviction of illegal encroachments on Dimapur Airport land, the Dimapur Police Commissioner has issued a prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

The directive comes in response to official instructions from the Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland, Kohima, and a verdict by the Gauhati High Court’s Principal Bench on May 27, 2025, in CRP Nos. 104/2024 and 105/2024. Further reinforcement of the order was made through a subsequent directive issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Chümoukedima on June 12, 2025.

Commissioner of Police Kevithuto Sophie, IPS, citing “reasonable apprehension of resistance or physical obstruction,” warned that any disruption could pose threats to life, public tranquility, and property. Accordingly, the order prohibits the assembly of five or more individuals and bans the carrying of lethal weapons or dangerous items, including lathis, daggers, spears, sticks, catapults, and machetes.

The restricted area is demarcated by the Chathe River/Nihoto to the east, the Dimapur Airport boundary to the west, Ekranipathar in the north, and Diphupar (173 Battalion CRPF Camp) to the south.

The prohibitory order will be effective from 8:00 PM on June 12 until 6:00 PM on June 13, 2025, unless revoked earlier. Residents and visitors have been urged to extend full cooperation with the authorities to facilitate a smooth, safe, and peaceful eviction operation.