Nagaland: NSCN (IM) regrets holding Assam Rifles personnel captive, refutes claims of weapon snatching

The NSCN (IM) expressed regret over the January 27 incident between it and the Assam Rifles at a place near its general field training headquarters.

Stating that the incident happened as the 25th Assam Rifles came too close for “comfort breaching one km radius”, the NSCN, in a release, said the matter was, however, settled amicably keeping in mind the interest of the prevailing ceasefire.

It clarified that there was no snatching of weapons by any side and that both sides mutually agreed to part ways peacefully with handshakes.

The NSCN expressed regret that the video clips of the incident were taken and uploaded on social media without its and the Naga army’s knowledge or sanction.

The NSCN and the Naga army tendered an apology on behalf of the erring persons who had uploaded the videos on social media.

Also Watch: Nagaland: 31 personnel of Assam Rifles captured by insurgent groups released, say sources

Stating that it is committed to the ceasefire signed in 1997, the NSCN said it hopes that such an unfortunate incident never reoccurs again in the future by respecting the spirit of ceasefire ground rules by both the Naga army and the Indian armed forces.

Thirty-one personnel of 25 Assam Rifles deployed at Nagaland’s Jaluki area were reportedly captured by insurgent groups on January 27 and later released.

The sources further quoted that the Assam Rifles personnel were captured by the Naga insurgent group NSCN(I-M) special team and kept at their headquarters for three-four hours, after entering the jurisdiction of the Naga Army camp area at around 2:30 pm on January 27.

Later, in the spirit of the ceasefire, all of the captured Assam Rifles personnel were released safely with strict warnings, not to cross over into their territory again.

A source speaking on anonymity stated, "Multiple domination patrols of Assam Rifles were out for durations varying from 72 hr to 96 hr in the run-up to Republic Day. One such patrol while returning after completing an assigned task took an administrative break at Intanki National Park at around 4.00 PM on 27 Jan 23. During the break, Assam Rifles patrol observed  NSCN-IM cadres moving on the same route and the two parties had a minor confrontation. Assam Rifles, while according to utmost respect to Cease Fire Ground Rules, ensured that the incident did not escalate & the Assam Rifle patrol leader took the decision to disengage its troops. The entire incident lasted for about 40 minutes".