New Delhi: The death toll of civilians in the firing incident in Nagaland's Mon district has risen to 14 after the death of one more civilian was reportedly confirmed on Sunday, NDTV reported. Mobile internet services and bulk messaging services have also been suspended in Mon district due to the incident. The police said on Sunday that the matter is being investigated whether the incident was possibly a case of 'mistaken identity'. An army personnel also died in the rioting which followed.
The incident took place between Oting and Tiru villages, when some daily wage laborers were returning home in a pick-up van from a coal mine on Saturday evening. Army personnel operating in the area allegedly opened fire on the vehicle after receiving information about the movements of militants of the Yung Aung faction of the banned outfit NSCN(K).
After this, an angry mob soon surrounded the army vehicles on the spot and in the scuffle that followed, one jawan was killed and at least three vehicles were torched. Ordering a Court of Inquiry into the incident, the Army said that one of its jawans was martyred and several others were seriously injured.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio promised a high-level inquiry into the incident and appealed to all sections of the society to maintain peace. Mon shares an international border with Myanmar, where the Yung Aung faction of the NSCN(K) is based. The CM said that the situation is under control. As per reports, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General MM Naravane have been informed about the incident.