NSCN (IM) flays raid by Assam Rifles

Dimapur, May 27 (EMN): The NSCN (IM) has accused the Assam Rifles (AR) of turning the Indo-Naga ceasefire agreement into a caricature after the latter reportedly conducted late night raids on three NSCN (IM) members’ residence. According to a statement from the group on Monday, the Assam Rifles was “going restive” and targeting NSCN (IM) solely to create bad blood between the Indians and the Nagas. It stated that in the midnight of May 24, AR troops had raided three houses of NSCN (IM) members at Doyapur in Dhansiripar subdivision of Dimapur district. “The first target was that of Mr. Samuel Lotha, a ‘leacy’ of union territory (UT). Only Samuel’s wife and children were present in the house when the AR came. They recovered a country made pistol. Next, the AR went to raid ‘colonel’ Vikato Sumi’s house in his absence, except for a caretaker, Mr. Chingrin who was present. During the search in the house, the AR seized a few arms and ammunitions. Finally, the AR team raided the house of a UT staff, Mr. Hekuto Aye and seized some MTRs related to house tax and a broken handmade revolver. The episode went on till the early morning of May 25,” read the statement. After the raids, it informed that the wife of Samuel, Kheliho; Chingrin, the caretaker of Vikato’s house; and Hekuto Aye were apprehended by AR troops and handed over to the police in Dimapur. The NSCN (IM) expressed ‘strong displeasure’ over the AR’s conduct “considering that in the process of running after the NSCN members, the innocent family members should not have been targeted in such a manner to give them physical and mental torment.” According to the group, similar “undesirable activities” by the Indian military were taking place across Naga areas “like the ones around Hevuto Battalion (Mokokchung), Jadonang Brigade (Tamenglong), Phungtha Brigade (Ukhrul) and Jalukie-Hebron route/area.” It asserted that the group’s desire in this crucial stage of Indo-Naga peace process is to maintain peace and such ‘an unwarranted nuisance’ created by AR will only ‘bring damnation.’ “The Indo-Naga peace talk and ceasefire is all to do with respect, trust and mutual understanding and not digging for alienation,” it stated. But if AR disconnects from this, it becomes a matter of turning the Indo-Naga ceasefire into a caricature, the group asserted.