Home Minister Regrets Nagaland Civilian Killings; Maj Gen To Head Army Inquiry

Picture courtesy EastMojo

New Delhi: The tragic incident in Nagaland, where 13 villagers and a soldier were killed as a result of a botched counter-insurgency operation and subsequent violence, has shaken up the country.

Union Home minister Amit Shah was on Monday forced take to the floor of Parliament and express deep regret over the killings in the Mon district of Nagaland, while Indian Army has set up a court of inquiry to be headed by a major general.

Shah stated that the Indian Army had acted on the basis of information about the movement of extremists in the Oting area of Mon.

“On that basis, 21 commandos laid an ambush in the suspected area. As a vehicle reached there, it was signalled to stop but it started speeding away. Suspecting that the vehicle was carrying extremists, the personnel fired at it, killing 6 of 8 people,” Shah said in Parliament.

Also Read: Army Unit Charged With ‘Intention To Murder’ In Nagaland Operation Deaths

Shah informed that a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident. He added that the Home ministry has been monitoring the developments closely and is in constant touch with the Nagaland government.

On Saturday, army personnel gunned down seven coal mine workers on mistaking them to be insurgents. Angry villagers set two security vehicles on fire, leading to another round of firing by the forces in which six villagers and a soldier died.