30 Army Special Forces soldiers have been named in a Nagaland Police charge sheet over a botched ambush last year that killed 14 civilians. The state police chief said their Special Investigation Team (SIT), has given the charge sheet to court, NDTV reported.
Filing the charge sheet, Nagaland DGP TJ Longkumer said that the probe was initiated against the Army personnel which revealed that the ops team of 21 Para Special Forces hadn't followed SoP & rules of engagement.
"Their disproportional firing led to immediate killing of villagers," he said.
In a shocking incident that took place last year, on December 4, 2021, soldiers from the 21 Para Special Forces army unit opened fire on civilians killing 14 and injuring 11 more in Nagaland's Mon district in two consecutive incidents of firing, the first of which was possibly a case of mistaken identity.
One soldier was killed in the rioting which followed.
The first firing that killed six civilians, occurred when Army personnel mistook coal mine workers returning home in a pick-up van singing songs on Saturday evening, to be insurgents belonging to the Yung Aung faction of proscribed outfit NSCN (K), about whose movements they had been tipped off.
Ordering a Court of Inquiry into the incident, Army had said that one of its personnel was killed and several others were seriously injured. It said the incident and its aftermath was “deeply regretted” and the unfortunate loss of lives was being investigated at the highest level.
The state government had constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by IGP Nagaland and a murder case was filed against the Army personnel.
The killing of civilians has been condemned by local civil society organisations, Naga outfits, national political parties, and the state government itself.
(with sources inputs)
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