By Agencies
DIMAPUR: Nagaland Police has charge-sheeted not less than 30 members of the 21 Para Special Force together with an officer within the rank of a serious, within the December 4, 2021 botched Army operations in Oting-Tiru space of Mon district killing not less than 13 civilians.
The probe which preceded the cost sheet has discovered that the Special Force Operation crew had not adopted the Standard Operating Procedure and the Rules of Engagement and resorted to indiscriminate and disproportionate firing resulting in quick killing of six civilians and grievous harm to 2 extra.
Addressing a press convention at Chumoukedima Police Complex on Saturday, Director General of Police (DGP), Nagaland, T John Longkumer stated that the Tizit Police Station case regarding the Oting incident the place 13 civilians have been killed in an ambush laid for militants because of mistaken identification on December 4, 2021.
The case was re-registered by State Crime Police Station on December 5 in opposition to unknown individuals of the Indian Army u/s 302, 304 and 34 IPC and investigation handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
“A professional and thorough investigation was carried out by the SIT” on this case, he stated including that numerous evidences together with related vital paperwork from numerous authorities and sources, scientific opinions from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) Guwahati, Hyderabad and Chandigarh and technical evidences from National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology have been collected in the course of the course of investigation, he stated.
The DGP stated the probe was full and the charge-sheet was submitted to the District and Sessions Court, Mon on May 30, 2022 via Assistant Public Prosecutor, Mon.
A case below numerous sections of the IPC has been made out in opposition to thirty 30 members of the operations crew of 21 Para Special Force together with a Major, two Subedar, eight Havildars, 4 Naik, six lance naik and 9 paratroopers, he stated.
Accordingly, the DGP stated that the CID report searching for sanction for prosecution was forwarded to the Department of Military Affairs within the first week of April this 12 months and reminder letter despatched in May.
The sanction for prosecution remains to be awaited, he stated.
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Meanwhile, the charge-sheet has been filed pending sanction for prosecution in opposition to the 30 accused, he stated.
Investigation has revealed that Alpha crew of 21 Para Special Force consisting of 31 personnel led by a Major rank officer launched an operation in Oting Tiru Area on December 3, 2021, based mostly on the intelligence enter about presence of a bunch of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) (Yung Aung) (NSCN-Ok(YA) and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) cadres within the space, he stated.
On December 4, 2021 at round 4:20PM the operation crew of 21 Para Special Force who had laid an ambush at Longkhao between Upper Tiru and Oting Village opened fireplace at a White Bolero decide up car which was carrying eight civilians belonging to Oting Village, most of whom have been working as labourers within the coal mines at Tiru with out making certain constructive identification or difficult them, he stated.
Investigation has revealed that the Special Force Operation crew had not adopted the Standard Operating Procedure and the Rules of Engagement and resorted to indiscriminate and disproportionate firing resulting in quick killing of the six occupants of the car on the spot and grievously injuring 2 individuals, he stated.
The DGP stated that investigation has revealed that when the villagers of Oting and Tiru reached the incident spot in quest of the lacking villagers and the Bolero decide up car at round 8PM, they turned violent on discovering the useless our bodies and a scuffle ensued between the villagers and members of 21 Para Special Force.
One Paratrooper succumbed to accidents and 14 personnel from 21 Para Special Force crew sustained accidents, because of the scuffle, he stated.
This led the Major to order firing at round 10 PM and the operation crew began to interrupt contact, he stated.
In the second incident seven of the villagers have been gunned down by the particular drive.
A separate FIR in was registered by Tiru PS on December 11, 2021 below part 326, 435, 302, 307 and 34 IPC and below part 25(1A) Arms Act in opposition to unknown individuals who prompted the dying of 1 paratrooper and assault on different personnel of the 21 Para Security Force and lack of authorities property, based mostly on grievance filed by 21 Para SF, the DGP stated.
The incident led to a serious regulation and order state of affairs in Mon city the following day with an indignant mob resorting to vandalizing public locations and in addition attacking an Assam Rifles put up, with a civilian being killed in retaliatory firing.
It additionally gave rise to demand for elimination of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Nagaland with civil societies conducting a number of protest rallies throughout the State in December.
