Kohima: The feud between an NSF official and a Dimapur restaurant leader escalated this week. Awomi, the former finance secretary of the Naga Students' Federation, surrendered at the East Police Station on July 4. Police processed his arrest that morning, though his current custody status remains murky.
Awomi faces a complaint filed by Tito Yepthomi, president of the Dimapur Restaurant Union. The conflict began July 1 after Awomi allegedly intimidated staff and vandalized Yepthomi's bar over unpaid monetary tributes. The NSF stripped Awomi of his post until the investigation concludes. Police have stayed quiet on the incident.
While Awomi faced arrest, Yepthomi suffered his own fallout. The Tsutoho Village Kukami Authority issued a directive banning him from the community for five years. They cited his repeated violations of customary practices and local resolutions. The council also claimed the resto-lounge operated by Yepthomi was inconsistent with the provisions of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act.
The trouble started when the union agreed to pay what they called "financial assistance" to the NSF. Affiliates had pledged 5,000 rupees each as a gesture of goodwill. This fallout has put the NSF in a tight spot and renewed questions about the effectiveness of local prohibition laws.
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