Top Naga body to suspend talks over Assam Rifles raid

Decision after Assam Rifle’s raids

Dimapur: The working committee of the Naga National Political Groups ( NNPG) has decided to suspend its ongoing talks with the Centre on the Naga political issue following a raid by security personnel at its coconvener’s residence on June 2, according to an NNPG statement. The decision was taken by the group’s working committee at an emergency meeting in Dimapur on Sunday.

Two days after a “mysterious raid” of the Assam Rifle in the house of a top Naga leader, the Naga National Political Groups ( NNPGs) on Monday decided to suspend talks, which was almost in its final stage with the government of India.

The raid, which was carried out by 3rd battalion of the Assam Rifle, took place at the residence of V. Nagi, general secretary of the parent body of the NNPG — Naga National Council ( NNC).

In what has come as shocker for the security experts of the region, despite the direction of the Supreme Court, the Assam Rifle chose to search the house of Mr Nagi on the midnight of June 2.

The Assam Rifle neither informed the local police nor took any witness for search operation.

The Assam Rifle personnel who were masked during the raid are also alleged to have vandalised and entered the girls hostel being run at the residence of Mr Nagi.

Pointing out that raid was a direct provocation for the NNPGs leaders who were camping in New Delhi and holding talks with the government of India, thrashing out differences over few issues, security sources said that working committee of the six rebel groups were very upset over the incident and decided to suspend the ongoing talks with the Centre. Security sources keeping a close watch on Naga issues admitted that the raid has come as surprise for many intelligence agencies too, as there was no major incident of violence in Nagaland in recent past.

Meanwhile the NNPGs in a statement at Dimapur on Monday said that the working committee of the NNPG has decided to suspend its ongoing talks with the Centre on the Naga political issue following a raid by security personnel at its co- convener’s residence on June 2, according to a NNPG statement.

The decision was taken by the group’s working committee in an emergency meeting.