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Nagaland ambush: Jawans didn't follow SOP, fired disproportionately, say cops
Nagaland's director general of police (DGP) TJ Longkumer said an investigation by the state police found army personnel had not followed the SOP and rules of engagement during its botched anti-insurgency operation in Mon district.
The Nagaland Police on Saturday said army personnel had not followed the standard operating procedure (SOP) and rules of engagement during its botched anti-insurgency operation in Mon district in December last year leading to the death of at least 12 civilians.
Amid a massive uproar over the killings in the Oting area of Mon district, the Army had started a Court of Inquiry (CoI), while the state government had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
Nagaland's director general of police (DGP) TJ Longkumer said an investigation by the state police revealed disproportionate firing by a team of the 21 Para Special Forces led to immediate killing of villagers.
“We have registered five cases in this regard. The investigation is underway,” Longkumer further said while addressing a press conference.
Last month, the Indian Army's Eastern Command chief had said the force had completed the Court of Inquiry that found “it was a case of mistaken identity and error of judgement”.
On December 4 last year, six coal miners returning from work were killed in a botched ambush by the security forces at Oting, while seven others were gunned down when villagers, angry after discovering the bullet-riddled bodies of the labourers on an Army truck, clashed with the soldiers.
One security personnel was also killed in the melee. Another civilian was killed when a mob attacked an Assam Rifles camp at Mon town the next day.
Soon after, protests intensified over the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) that has been in force in the northeastern state for decades and gives immunity to soldiers. The Act was withdrawn from 15 police station areas in seven districts in Nagaland with effect from April 1.
