One of the most feared Naga extremist leaders continues to be on the National Investigation Agency’s list of most wanted people 15 months after his death.
Shangnyu Shangwang Khaplang, a Myanmar-based Haimi Naga who formed the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) in 1988, died in June 2017 at age 77.
But the NIA has not removed him from the list of India’s most wanted that contains 258 names, including those of Maoists of southern and central India and Kashmiri extremists.
Missing from the list is Khaplang’s successor Khango Konyak, an Indian Naga who was impeached by the NSCN-K in August. Aung Yung, Khaplang’s nephew, took over in an apparent move to separate the Indian Naga members from the Myanmarese Nagas in the outfit.
Naga peace talks
Mr. Konyak left the NSCN-K with about 100 loyalists and reportedly crossed over to India a few days ago. They are expected to join the Naga peace talks between the Centre and the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN.
The NIA, however, lists Isak Sumi, who used to be the publicity head of NSCN-K before coming out with Mr. Konyak.
Also in the list is another Indian Naga who has sided with Aung Sung to become the commander-in-chief of the NSCN-K.
Other names
Other extremist leaders of the Northeast on the NIA list include Paresh Baruah, military chief of the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) and its chairman Abhijit Asom, I.K. Songbijit of the People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri, and G. Bidai of National Democratic Front of Boroland. The last two are wanted for the massacre of more than 80 Adivasis in Assam in December 2014.