Minor confrontation between Assam Rifles, NSCN-IM in Nagaland

Guwahati, Jan 28, 2023, IANS

A minor confrontation occurred between Assam Rifles troopers and cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) in Nagaland's Peren district, according to army sources.

The sources revealed that multiple domination patrols of the Assam Rifles were out for durations varying from 72 hours to 96 hours in the run-up to Republic Day.

One such patrol team, while returning after completing assigned tasks, took an administrative break at at Ntangki National Park in Peren at around 4 p.m. on Friday evening.

At that time, the Assam Rifles patrolling team observed that NSCN-IM cadres were also moving on the same path, and the two parties had a minor confrontation there.

The NSCN-IM had signed a ceasefire agreement with the Central government 1997 that ended decades of insurgency in Nagaland that began shortly after India's independence in 1947.

The agreement was extended last year.

The sources mentioned that the Assam Rifles followed the ground rules of the agreement and ensured that the incident did not escalate.

The patrol team leader decided to disengage the troops. The whole incident did not last more than 40 minutes.

On August 3, 2015, the Centre had also inked a framework deal with the influential Naga faction after more than 80 rounds of talks between the two sides.

The NSCN-IM is still insistent that the Naga people have a separate flag and constitution, hence the ultimate resolution in talks is yet to be materialised.