Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that the Indian government expressed ‘deep regret’ over the recent massacre of 13 civilians. Speaking in the parliament, Shah said the killings of innocent Naga civilians occurred when the Assam Rifles fired to ‘disperse the crowd.’
“…An agitated crowd of around 250 people vandalised the company operating base (COB) of Assam Rifles in Mon city and set the COB building on fire. Assam Rifles had to fire bullets to disperse the crowd. This caused the death of one more civilian,” Shah said.
After the incident, on Dec 5 evening, an agitated crowd of around 250 people vandalised the company operating base (COB) of Assam Rifles in Mon city & set the COB building on fire. Assam Rifles had to fire bullets to disperse the crowd. This caused death of one more civilian: HM pic.twitter.com/flP1XPEMUk
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021
Shah said that the Indian army had taken up the investigation to find out the reasons behind the killings of 13 Naga civilians. He said that ‘action will be taken as per the law.’
“The government of India expresses deep regret over the unfortunate incident in #Nagaland and also expresses deep sympathies to the bereaved families,” Shah added.
The government of India expresses deep regret over the unfortunate incident in #Nagaland and also expresses deep sympathies to the bereaved families: Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha pic.twitter.com/XHIdangaBr
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021
BJP’s Nagaland president Temjen Imma Along had said that the killings of 13 Naga civilians in the Mon district was ‘tantamount to war crimes during peacetime and amounts to summary execution as well as genocide.’
According to some reports, angry villagers later vandalised the Assam Rifles camps and also allegedly set them on fire.
Those killed by security forces belonged to Konyak community, which has decided to boycot the ongoing Hornbill Festival in the state. A few other tribal groups too have decided to boycot the festival, which is likely to to be attended by many foreign diplomats.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said that ‘AFSPA should be repealed.’ The AFSPA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act) grants special powers to the Indian security forces in the country’s border region.