After 14 civilians in Nagaland were killed in a botched-up Indian Army operation, the victims’ families have refused compensation by the government until the involved Army personnel are ‘brought to justice and the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is removed from the Northeast.’
Last week, on December 4, six villagers were killed in Mon district, Nagaland in an ambush by the Indian Armed Forces. The security forces, as stated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, ‘mistook’ these villagers for militants. Later, seven other civilians were shot dead by the security forces at Oting, as a crowd attacked the security forces. The violence also caused the death of one soldier.
The Nagaland government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 as compensation to each of the families of the 14 people killed, and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
In a statement, Oting Village Council, clarified that an envelope containing an amount of Rs 1,830,000 was brought before the Village Council by Paiwang Konyak, member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly from the Tizit constituency in Mon district, and Deputy Commissioner of Mon district, Thavaseelan K.