October 17 firing incident: Retaliated in self defence, says GPRN/NSCN

Dimapur, Oct. 19 (EMN): The GPRN/NSCN has claimed that the October 17 firing incident that killed one person started after some miscreants intruded into the periphery of its designated camp.

The MIP of the group said this in a press statement on Tuesday, a day after the police informed this newspaper that a cadre belonging to the NSCN Niki group was killed in a firing incident with the NSCN-Unification (NSCN-U) near Khehoi camp on Sunday night.

While maintaining that there are security operating procedures in place for every designated camp and movement within the stretch is strictly restricted, the GPRN/NSCN claimed that “a group of miscreants in a state government registered vehicle forcefully intruded” into the periphery of its camp at around 11 pm on Sunday.

“The Naga army personnel in an abrupt situation halted the intruders in order to ascertain their actual identities. Upon halting them, one of the occupants alighted and started firing indiscriminately which intrinsically provoked the Naga army on duty to retaliate in self defence,” read the press release.

“The assailants were overpowered and subsequently one of the occupants succumbed in the shootout while the remaining escaped in the cover of darkness. One assailant was later caught in the vicinity of CHQ,” it added.

It went on to inform that huge amount of ammunition was recovered from the apprehended cadre and an assault weapon from the firing site.

“GPRN/NSCN despite of its utmost commitment to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in every endeavour had been challenged to confront the situation as deemed necessary,” it added.

The police told this newspaper on Monday that it had rescued one cadre belonging to the NSCN Niki group, while another cadre from the same group had been apprehended by the NSCN during the incident.

The NSCN  Niki group had in a press statement accused the GPRN/NSCN of continuing “fratricidal acts among Naga brethren” and questioned the killing of Atoka Kinimi at a juncture when Nagas are yearning for peace. It also reaffirmed its stand for peace in order to achieve inclusive and amicable political solution.