Nagaland: 14 civilians gunned down by forces; 1 soldier killed in rioting

At least 14 civilians were gunned down by security forces in Nagaland's Mon district, police said on Sunday

Security forces opened fire on civilians killing 14 and injuring 11 more in Nagaland's Mon district in two consecutive incidents of firing, the first of which was possibly a case of mistaken identity, police said on Sunday. One soldier was killed in rioting which followed. 

The first firing that killed six civilians, occurred when Army personnel mistook coal mine workers returning home in a pick-up van singing songs on Saturday evening, to be insurgents belonging to the Yung Aung faction of proscribed outfit NSCN (K), about whose movements they had been tipped off. 

As workers failed to reach their homes, local youth and villagers went in search of them and surrounded the Army vehicles. In the ensuing melee, one soldier was killed and Army vehicles burnt down. Soldiers who fired in self-defence killed another seven civilians, said police officials.  

 

Rioting spilled over into Sunday afternoon when angry mobs vandalised the offices of the Konyak Union and an Assam Rifles camp in the area. The Nagaland government through a notification has banned mobile, internet and data services as well as bulk SMS in the district to curb “circulation of inflammatory videos, pictures or text”.

Police said the post-mortem of the 13 killed was being conducted in Mon and feared that the number of fatalities may increase as at least two of those injured were critical and had to be evacuated to hospitals in Assam while the rest were being treated in Nagaland. 

Ordering a Court of Inquiry into the incident, Army said one of its personnel was killed and several others were seriously injured. It said the incident and its aftermath was “deeply regretted” and the unfortunate loss of lives was being investigated at the highest level. 

The state government has constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IGP Nagaland, officials said. A murder case has been filed, according to news reports. 

PRO Defence (Kohima) Lt Col Sumit K Sharma said “Based on credible intelligence of likely movement of insurgents, a specific operation was planned to be conducted in the area of Tiru, Mon District, Nagaland. The incident and its aftermath is deeply regretted.” Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio promised a high-level probe into the incident and appealed to all sections of the society to maintain peace.

Mon shares a porous international border with Myanmar, where the Yung Aung faction of NSCN (K) is based.

Official sources said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen M M Naravane have been briefed about the incident. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted his anguish and expressed “deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. A high-level SIT constituted by the State govt will thoroughly probe this incident to ensure justice to the bereaved families.”