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HomeIndiaCommittee to be formed to look into withdrawal of AFSPA in Nagaland

Committee to be formed to look into withdrawal of AFSPA in Nagaland

Meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Nagaland and Assam CMs also decides that personnel facing inquiry in the Oting incident will be placed under suspension

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Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting Thursday in which it was decided that a committee will be set up to look into the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland. 

According to a press release issued by the Nagaland government Sunday, the committee will be headed by the Union Home Ministry’s additional secretary for the Northeast and will include the chief secretary and Director General Police of Nagaland, among others. 

The meeting in New Delhi, which was attended by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the state Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Naga People’s Front Legislative Party leader T.R. Zeliang, discussed the present situation in Nagaland following a botched security forces ambush earlier this month that led to a chain of events in which 14 civilians lost their lives in Mon district. 

Six civilians, residents of Oting village, died in the ambush on December 4 as they were returning from a coal mine where they worked. A mob attack on the forces’ camp that took place in the aftermath of the incident led to seven more deaths. Then, a day later, a civilian was shot when a mob allegedly vandalised an Assam Rifles camp in Mon town. 

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 gives special powers to the armed forces in certain “disturbed areas”. These powers include firing upon persons for the maintenance of public order, arresting persons without warrants and entering and searching  premises without warrants, among others. 


Also read: Nagaland massacre shows AFSPA is a deadly addiction. Does Modi govt have the courage to kick it?


 

Probe over Oting incident

The press release also noted that “a court of inquiry will initiate disciplinary proceedings against the army unit and army personnel who were directly involved in the Oting incident and action will be taken immediately on the basis of a fair inquiry”. 

“The identified persons who will face the inquiry will be placed under suspension with immediate effect,” the release mentioned.

In addition to this, it was also decided that the state government will provide jobs to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives. 

The Nagaland government also appealed to “all sections to remain calm and to continue to maintain a peaceful atmosphere”. 

In the days following the incident, protests broke out in several parts of Nagaland and Manipur. Last week, thousands took to the streets in a protest organised by the Nagaland Students’ Federation (NSF) in Kohima.

(Edited by Saikat Niyogi)


Also read: Nagaland celebrates Christmas with prayers for peace


 

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