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Nagaland civilian killings: Army’s inquiry team to visit incident site today
As many as 13 civilians died on December 4 after they were killed by the 21 Para Special Forces (SF) of the Army in a botched-up counter-insurgency operation in the Mon district.
An inquiry team of the Indian Army, which has been probing the December 4 Nagaland firing incident, will visit the incident site in the Mon district on Wednesday.
"In reference to Indian Army inquiry into December 4 incident at Oting, Nagaland, the Army Inquiry Team will visit the incident site on December 29. The team will also be present at Tizit Police Station, Mon District on the same day," public relations officer (PRO) Kohima, ministry of defence tweeted on Monday.
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The inquiry team has solicited from the public at large any primary information (not forwarded or not from a secondary source) about the firing incident.
As many as 13 civilians died on December 4 after they were killed by the 21 Para Special Forces (SF) of the Army in a botched-up counter-insurgency operation in the district. The first firing led to the death of six civilians after the SF unit mistook coal mine workers returning home in a pick-up van, to be members of the terrorist outfit NSCN (K).
As these coal mine workers did not return, villagers and locals started looking for them and surrounded Army vehicles. The troops fired at these agitating civilians of which seven lost their lives. One jawan of the Army died.
The Nagaland Police in its FIR against the 21 Para SF unit said the firing was without any provocation, intended to injure and kill civilians.
“On reaching at Langkhao between Upper Tiru and Oting village, security forces fired at the vehicle without any provocation, resulting to the killing of many Oting villagers and seriously injured many others,” the FIR lodged at the Tizit police station read.
The state government has also formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident.
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The Army, meanwhile, expressed regret over the killing of civilians in the Mon district and assured that the investigation into the incident was progressing expeditiously.
"The inquiry ordered by Army is progressing expeditiously and all efforts are being made to conclude it at the earliest. We have taken out notices for people to come forward and assist us in the inquiry," the Army said in an official statement on December 25.
The Army also added it is fully cooperating with the SIT formed by the Nagaland government and required details were being shared on time.
