New Delhi: The probe carried out in the Nagaland firing incident which had killed 14 people last year has revealed that the Para Special Forces had not followed the Standard Operation Procedures and rules of engagaement, said the police reported news agency ANI. They added that disproportionate firing was the cause of immediate deaths of the civillians.
"Probe revealed that the ops team of 21 Para Special Forces hadn't followed SoP & rules of engagement. Their disproportional firing led to immediate killing of villagers," said Nagaland DGP TJ Longkumer during a press briefing.
Five cases have been registered in connection with the case and the "investigation is underway," the DGP added.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Nagaland Government to probe the matter has named 30 security personnel including a major in its charge sheet submitted to the Court, reported news agency IANS.
A senior Nagaland Police official said that the SIT submitted its charge sheet to the District and Sessions Court in Mon district on May 30 through the additional public prosecutor and named 30 members of the operation team of 21 Para (Special Force) - the major, two subedars, eight havildars, four nayaks, six lance nayaks and nine paratroopers, the report added.
On December 4 last year, the personnel of the Indian Army opened fire on civillians mistaking them for militants in the Oting village of Mon disrict in Nagaland.
Last month, the Indian Army's Eastern Command chief had informed that the Court of Inquiry into the incident had been completed. "It was a case of mistaken identity and error of judgment. The Army CoI is complete and it is being examined now. We also received the SIT report and both are being analysed," General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command, Lt Gen R P Kalita, had said, reported news agency PTI.
Lt Gen Kalita had added that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which has been in force in the North-eastern state for a very long time, gives a functional help to the powers working in troublesome territories, however, the law was not absolute.
"There are SOPs (standard operating procedures) to be followed. At times, deviations have taken place. Whenever there is deviation, strict actions were taken against the defaulters. In this case also, action will be taken as per the Army Act and requisite laws of the land," the Army Commander had said.
There have been long time requests and protests to withdraw AFSPA from the state for — its supposed draconian provisions — which were accelerated after the civillians were killed in a botched operation by Indian Army personnel in Oting village.
The AFSPA grants special powers to the security forces to conduct operations anywhere and to arrest anyone without any prior warrant.
(With inputs from agencies)