Regret killing of civilians in Nagaland, case of 'mistaken identity': Amit Shah

New Delhi: Expressing regret over the Nagaland firing incident, Union Home minister Amit Shah on Monday said a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be completed within a month and asserted that all agencies must ensure such happenings do not recur while taking action against insurgents.

In a statement in Lok Sabha, he said the government is keeping a close watch on the evolving situation and necessary measures are being taken to ensure peace and tranquility in the region.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the Nagaland government over reports of killing of civilians during an alleged "botched up operation" by the Army Para Commandos to target militants, officials said.

It triggered several incidents of arson, rioting and attack on soldiers and Assam Rifles camp, resulting in more injuries and deaths, including that of one soldier, the rights panel said in a statement.

The NHRC has "taken suo motu cognisance of media reports on the killing of civilians when their vehicle was fired upon in an alleged botched-up operation by the Army Para Commandos, lying in wait for militants in Mon district of Nagaland late Saturday", it said.

The Commission has issued notices to the Defence Secretary, Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary and the Nagaland Director General of Police, seeking a detailed report in the matter within six weeks, the statement said.

The Commission has also observed that it is "incumbent upon the security forces ensuring proper precaution with a humane approach even if it involved the militants".

The state authorities, as a precautionary measure, have imposed prohibitory orders in the affected areas, he informed the House.

Shah offered deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the case of mistaken identity on December 4 and subsequent episodes.

"The Government of India sincerely regrets this unfortunate incident in Nagaland and offers its deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives," he said.

Security forces opened fire on civilians killing 14 and injuring 11 more in Nagaland's Mon district in three consecutive episodes, the first of which was a case of mistaken identity, police said on Sunday. One soldier also died in rioting which followed.

Narrating the sequence of events, Shah said the Army received information on the movement of insurgents in Nagaland's Mon and '21 Para Commando' unit laid an ambush.

A vehicle was signalled to stop but it tried to speed away. Suspecting the presence of insurgents in the vehicle, the security personnel opened fire, Shah said.

Six out of eight occupants of the vehicle died in the firing by security forces, Shah said, adding that later, it was found to be "a case of mistaken identity".

Two persons who sustained injuries were evacuated to the medical facilities by the Army personnel.

He said local people, on getting news of the firing, surrounded and attacked the troops and one soldier was killed in the violence while several others were injured.

Shah said that in self-defence and to disperse the crowd, the troops had to open fire in which seven more civilians were killed.

He said that on Sunday evening, an agitated crowd targeted Assam Rifles company operating base and forces had to open fire in which one civilian was killed.

It has been decided that all agencies must ensure such incidents do not happen in the future during action against insurgents, the minister said.

Quoting an Army statement, Shah said the cause of the unfortunate loss of lives is being investigated at the highest level and appropriate action will be taken as per law.

"Ministry of Home Affairs also deputed Additional Secretary, in-charge of North East to Kohima wherein he held a meeting with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the state government of Nagaland and senior officers of para-military forces today morning.

"The situation was reviewed in detail to ensure that normalcy is restored at the earliest," he said.

Dissatisfied with the statement, Opposition parties including the Congress, DMK, SP, BSP and the NCP walked out of the House. They said neither there was any mention of compensation nor of action against the guilty.

Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha members condemned the Nagaland incident and demanded an impartial probe.

The Nagaland Police on Monday also lodged a murder case against the 21st Para Special Force of the Army for its alleged involvement in firing on the civilians, even as several tribal bodies enforced shutdowns in protest against the action of security forces.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in Mon town, but the situation is tense, officials said.

Meanwhile, confusion prevailed Monday over the death toll in firing by security forces on civilians in Nagaland's Mon district.

The Konyak Union, the apex trial body in the district, had initially claimed that 17 civilians were killed in the firing, but later revised the toll to 14.

Police, however, has maintained that 14 civilians were killed in separate incidents of firing on Saturday and Sunday.