Killing of civilians: Nagaland frames charges against 30 Indian soldiers

DIMAPUR: The Nagaland Police have chargesheeted at least 30 Indian Army’s Para Special Force including a Major involved in killing of over a dozen civilians in an operation in Mon district of Indian disturbed state Nagaland.

At least 30 Indian Army forces personnel of the 21 Para Special Force including a Major killed over 13 civilians during botched army operations in December 2021 in Oting-Tiru area of Mon district of the state.

The chargesheet has slapped charges of murder and culpable homicide not amounting to murder on the team of soldiers. The probe which preceded the chargesheet has found that the Special Force Operation team had not followed the Standard Operating Procedure and Rules of Engagement and had resorted to indiscriminate and disproportionate firing leading to immediate death of six civilians and grievous injury to two more.

Addressing a press conference at Chumukedima Police Complex Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) T John Longkumer said the Tizit Police Station case related to the Oting incident where civilians were killed in an ambush laid by Indian Army as a result of mistaken identity on December 4 2021.

The case was re-registered by the State Crime Police Station on December 5 against unknown persons of the Indian Army under Sections 302 304 and 34 IPC and investigation handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

A professional and thorough investigation was carried out by the SIT in this case he said, adding that various evidences including relevant important documents from various authorities and sources scientific opinions from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) Guwahati Hyderabad and Chandigarh and technical evidences from National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology were collected during the course of investigation.

Meanwhile, the chargesheet has been filed pending sanction for prosecution against the 30 accused, the DGP said. The civil societies demanded the removal of black law Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Nagaland.