Dimapur: In a move to facilitate the eviction of illegal encroachments on Dimapur Airport land, Commissioner of Police and District Magistrate Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, IPS, has issued a prohibitory order to prevent potential unrest and ensure public safety during the operation.
The order, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, prohibits the assembly of five or more persons and the carrying of lethal weapons or firearms—including lathis, daggers, machetes, sticks, spears, catapults, or any other dangerous articles—within a designated perimeter around the airport. The enforcement zone is bounded by the Chathe River/Nihoto to the east, the airport boundary to the west, Ekranipathar to the north, and Diphupar (173rd Bn CRPF Camp) to the south.
The prohibitory measures came into effect from 8:00 PM on June 12 and will remain in force until 6:00 PM on June 13, unless lifted earlier by the authorities. The decision follows a directive from the Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland, Kohima, in response to a Gauhati High Court judgment dated May 27, 2025, in connection with CRP Nos. 104 and 105 of 2024.
The court had ordered the removal of encroachments on the airport land, a directive further reinforced by an order from the Deputy Commissioner of Chümoukedima dated June 12, 2025.
In anticipation of possible resistance or obstruction during the eviction drive, the police administration deemed it necessary to implement preventive measures to maintain law and order.
“AND WHEREAS, the undersigned, having been satisfied that there exists a reasonable apprehension of resistance, or any form of physical obstruction, during the eviction which may result in breach of peace, or threat to human life or safety, or disturbance of public tranquillity, or damage of public and private properties,” the order stated.
The order has been passed ex-parte due to security exigency, and public notification is being carried out through the press and by affixing copies at key administrative offices and police stations across Dimapur and Chümoukedima districts.
Authorities have appealed to the public to cooperate and maintain peace during the operation.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland, has issued a detailed statement highlighting the legal background and court directives that have empowered the State Government to act against unauthorized occupation of Dimapur Airport land.
According to the statement, the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court, through its judgment dated May 27, 2025, in CRP Nos. 104 and 105 of 2024, quashed interim injunctions that had previously stalled eviction proceedings on land acquired for the airport’s expansion. The judgment upheld the State’s authority to evict illegal occupants from Dag Nos. 38 and 40 of Diphuphar Village, reaffirming that land acquired for vital public infrastructure cannot be subject to private claims or injunctions.
The case emerged from illegal land claims linked to a former allotment issued to an individual who had manipulated land records and secured a patta without proper government approval—violating a longstanding ban on new land allotments. The State Government, through the Commissioner, Nagaland, had cancelled this allotment in 2019, leading to the cancellation of pattas for 22 individuals who had based their claims on the fraudulent allotment.
Despite the issuance of eviction orders in 2019, legal challenges and interim stays had delayed action. However, the High Court, in its recent ruling, concluded that the petitioners had no valid claim to the land and had suppressed material facts. The Court observed that no injunction could be granted over land acquired for public projects such as the airport expansion, citing provisions of the Specific Relief Act.
The Commissioner’s statement emphasized that the judgment validates the State’s efforts to safeguard land earmarked for public development and infrastructure. It underlines that the eviction drive is being conducted in strict compliance with legal and judicial directives.
The State Government has reiterated its appeal for public cooperation during the eviction process, which is essential to facilitate the long-overdue expansion of Dimapur Airport—a project critical for the region’s connectivity and development.
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