Murder, criminal conspiracy in Nagaland SIT charge sheet
Alice Yhoshü
KOHIMA: A total of 30 army personnel have been named for killing 13 civilians in a botched ambush at Titu-oting in December last year by a special investigation team of the Nagaland government, the state police chief said on Saturday.
The investigators pressed charges on May 30 against the 30 officers and soldiers of the operations team of 21 Para SF. One major, two subedars, eight havildars, four naiks, six lance naiks and nine paratroopers have been booked under sections 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 302 (punishment for murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of Indian Penal Code.
The probe team submitted its charge sheet to court, directorgeneral of police TJ Longkumer said. The central government is yet to approve the prosecution of the army personnel by civilian authorities.
The security personnel did not follow standard operating procedures (SOP)S and rules of engagement while resorting to indiscriminate and disproportionate firing, which led to the killing of civilians in a counterinsurgency ambush that went wrong, investigators found.
A total of 13 civilians were gunned down at Tiru-oting in Nagaland’s Mon district on December 4, 2021, which further resulted in the death of security personnel when irate and griefstricken villagers retaliated. Another civilian was killed by Assam Rifles personnel in Mon town the subsequent day when an angry mob stormed its camp.
The army constituted a court of inquiry headed by a Major General, who visited ground zero and inspected the site to understand the circumstances in which the incident took place.
When asked whether the soldiers named in the charge sheet were on suspension during the period of investigation, additional director general of police Sandeep M Tamgadge, who led the special investigation team, said he was not in a position to comment on the internal disciplinary conduct in the army. An army spokesperson in Delhi did not comment on the SIT naming 30 soldiers in its chargesheet, and said that the army had completed its separate inquiry into the incident.
Before the inquiry report was submitted, then army chief General MM Naravane said in January 2022 that appropriate action would be taken and corrective measures instituted to further refine the army’s standard operating procedures (SOPS) based on the outcome of the investigation.