Refuting the Army's contention that the incident was a result of mistaken identity, he said, "The ambush site was barely few metres away from the coal mining site and the villages are nearby. How could they lay an ambush so close to civilian residences?"
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, was completely withdrawn in Meghalaya in 2018, Tripura in 2015 and Mizoram in the 1980s.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in Mon town, but the situation is tense.
The Assam Rifles said the drive against ULFA militants would continue in Nagaland in the coming days even though the ceasefire was in force in the state.
AFSPA can be safely lifted from almost 90 per cent of Nagaland, argues Shekhar Gupta.
Seven Assam Rifles personnel and one Territorial Army jawan lost their lives.
The SIT has been constituted and has been directed to complete the probe within a month, Shah said.
Exploiting the killings to ratchet up the tension in the region and harden negotiating positions with the central government serves nobody, least of all the people of Nagaland. The peace process must not be stalled because of this incident or distracted by calls to repeal the AFSPA, argues Vivek Gumaste.
The Supreme Court found enough grounds to order a CBI probe into 1,528 extra-judicial killings in Manipur between 2000 and 2012.
The Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), demanding the creation of a separate state of 'Frontier Nagaland' within the boundary of present Nagaland, will wait for "Centre's official response" till August 15 this year before chalking out any agitation plan to achieve their goal.
'The government needs to think if a draconian, outdated and colonial law is needed in a democratic, multi religious, diverse country governed by a democratic government.'
Christmas was celebrated across the country on Saturday, but the festivities were low-key for the second year in a row due to Covid, with churches and other events witnessing lower footfalls, people avoiding large get-togethers and the administration in some areas imposing certain curbs.
The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), a militant outfit currently in a state of truce with the government, is providing help and shelter to cadres of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom in Naga villages.According to police sources, the ULFA cadres have found safe haven in Mon district of Nagaland with the help of NSCN-K militants.The ULFA militants often cross the border and flee to Nagaland after carrying out operations within Assam.
The United Liberation Front of Asom on Monday accused the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) of killing its two cadres and abducting seven, a charge denied by the Naga group.
Sangtam was prevented from unfurling the flag by activists of Chang Tribal Council and Chang Students Union at the district headquarters town of Tuensang.
The proscribed known to have camps in Mon district of Nagaland, which is dominated by the NSCN-IM rebels, now in ceasefire with Government of India. The police said the reason behind the group clash between members of two insurgent outfits was not known.
NCSN-IM members were firing upon a NSCN-K hideout when reports last came in.
Three terrorists of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) and an Assam Rifles (AR) officer were killed in an encounter in Mon district of Nagaland, a defence spokesman said on Wednesday.
Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang has claimed responsibility for the attack.
By writing a scathing letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on the breakdown in law and order in the state, is Governor R N Ravi creating the ground for consolidating his power and directly influence proceedings in the state, asks Sandeep Pandey.
Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said the violence in Akuluto constituency in Zunheboto district left one dead and two injured.
The leadership of the NSCN-K is scheduled to join the peace negotiations in March as part of the Naga National Political Group with Government of India's Interlocutor R N Ravi, reports Sujit Kumar Chakraborty.
The newly-formed common forum of Northeast insurgent groups based in Myanmar has posed a renewed threat to security and peace in the troubled region.
After the Naga leader's death, Chinese intelligence may ensure ULFA terrorist Paresh Barua takes over as leader of the anti-India rebel groups operating out of Myanmar, says Nitin A Gokhale.
Although India has sought inputs from the Myanmar army since most of those involved in Thursday's ambush would have sneaked across into Myanmar, the fresh operations would smoke out insurgents based in hideouts on the Indian side along the border.
'The sad truth is our news managers know much more about Houston and Boston than Kohima and Kokrajhar...' 'Many worthies will travel to the US and Europe to report on Prime Minister Modi's foreign sojourns, but will cite the difficulties of logistics when asked why they don't cover Modi's forays into Arunachal Pradesh, a state China lays claim to.'
President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday approved a total of 112 gallantry awards for defence and paramilitary personnel for their sacrifices to the nation, the defence ministry said.