Oting victims' families refuse ex gratia before punishment for culprits

MON: Family of Oting victims and the village's council decided not to receive ex-gratia from the State government until 21

Para Commandos of the Indian army are "brought to justice" and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is revoked from the entire Northeast region.

In a clarification letter, Oting Village Council stated that "an envelope containing an amount of Rs. 18, 30,000/- (Eighteen Lakhs Thirty Thousand only) was brought before the Village Council by our Minister and Deputy Commissioner Mon."

The Village Council Oting assumed it as a token of love and gift from the Honourable Minister Shri. Paiwang Konyak 41 A/c Tizit.

But after knowing the fact that it was an advance payment of installment of an ex-gratia from the State Government for the victim's family and injured person.

Further, the Village Council Oting and victim family decided not to receive until and unless the culprit of 21 Para Commandos of the Indian Arm Force are brought to justice before the Civil code of law and repealed Arm Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the entire North Eastern region of India," it added.

Besides the six villagers in the pickup van who were killed in the firing on December 4, another seven were killed by the Army in violence involving irate locals at the incident site later that day. One Army personnel was also killed in the melee.

Another civilian was killed when a mob attacked an Assam Rifles camp at Mon town on Sunday.