Mokokchung (Nagaland), Sept. 29: Collective efforts by various organisations have turned Salangtem, one of the 19 wards in Mokokchung town, from a notorious area to a peaceful and progressive one.

The chairman of Salangtem ward, O. Ao, said Salangtem was free of crime and much ahead of the other wards thanks to the “moral policing” and initiatives of its people, particularly the youth organisation.

The ward has set up a strong and effective council and youth organisation to curb all kinds of criminal activities such as abuse of drug, alcohol, theft and extortion.

The authorities have introduced a unique Naga traditional lockup known as saki at the council hall.

The council sentences offenders to beating or imposes a fine of a pig according to the degree of the crime.

This unique form of delivering justice by Nagas is still practised in many parts of the state.

“We do not want money from the offenders, we want only pigs, which is a Naga way of punishment,” Ao said.

The ward chairman said the district administration had authorised them to carry out moral policing in Salangtem ward like closing of liquor dens and gambling joints.

The percentage of drug and alcohol users has also come down, Ao said.

The Naga militants are also not allowed to intimidate people and collect money or they else would be locked up.

“We do not spare even the militants,” the ward chairman said.

The wards in Mokokchung town, including Salangtem, where the NSCN (I-M) is active, pay household tax annually to them.

“If they intimidate people and collect money, the NSCN (I-M) would face the same fate like that of the NSCN (Khaplang),” Ao said.

In 2003, NSCN (K) cadres were forced out of the town in a public uprising and houses of the rebels, including 500 in Salangtem ward, were burnt down.

The ward authorities are involved in social activities like a cleanliness drive, voluntary work and traffic control.

The success story of “moral policing” in Salangtem ward has encouraged the state government to embark on a similar project in other parts of the state, particularly in Dimapur.

Home minister Imkong L. Imchen in meeting with administration, police and authorities of different colonies in Dimapur recently mooted the idea of “moral policing”.

In Kohima, the Angami Youth Organisation said they would also begin “moral policing” but added that they would not Talibanise the town.