The ministry of home affairs on Sunday set up a high-level committee, headed by Vivek Joshi, a secretary-rank officer, to look into the possibility of withdrawing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Nagaland in the wake of rising tension in the state over the killing of 14 civilians earlier this month.
Joshi, the registrar general and census commissioner of India, will head the five-member committee, a report by news agency PTI said.
Hours ago, the Army again expressed regret over the "sad and unfortunate" incident. It said the probe is progressing expeditiously and all efforts are underway to conclude it at the earliest.
The Army also assured that action would be taken in the case in accordance with the law to "secure justice for all" and urged the people of the state "to be patient and wait for the findings of the Army inquiry".
Earlier in the day, the Nagaland government, in a statement, said its chief secretary and director general of police (DGP) will be part of the central panel.
The committee was set up three days after Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma over the matter in Delhi.
{{/usCountry}}The committee was set up three days after Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma over the matter in Delhi.
{{/usCountry}}The December 23 meeting was also attended by Nagaland deputy CM Y Patton and former chief minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang. The panel will submit its report within 45 days.
The new committee will look into the possibility of the withdrawal of the AFSPA in Nagaland, where it has been operational for decades, and a decision will be taken on the basis of its recommendations. The controversial Act gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives immunity to the forces if they shoot someone dead.
Meanwhile, officials said that disciplinary action is also likely to be taken against the Army personnel, who were directly involved in the botched counter-insurgency operation in Nagaland's Mon district in early December, after a fair inquiry.
Protests have been going on in several districts of Nagaland demanding withdrawal of the AFSPA, ever since an Army unit killed the 14 civilians in Mon mistaking them as insurgents.
The Nagaland government will provide government jobs to the next of kin of the deceased 14 people.
On December 6, Shah informed Parliament that "a team of 21 para-commandos of the Indian Army laid an ambush for insurgents in Mon district of Nagaland on December 4 but "it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity". He also expressed regret over the incident in which civilians were killed by security personnel.
Shah had said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted and directed to complete the investigation within one month.