15 civilians dead in botched operation in Nagaland |
At least 15 civilians and one soldier were killed in a botched ambush and retaliatory violence in the north-eastern state of Nagaland`s Mon district over 24 hours, prompting the State government and the Army to order a probe into the incident. An army patrol mistakenly opened fire on miners returning home after work, killing six. Seven more civilians and an Indian soldier died when angry locals confronted troops. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said he was "anguished" and vowed to investigate. The army has been battling separatist militants in Nagaland for years. The incident on December 4 night took place in and around Oting village in Mon district, which borders Myanmar, during a counterinsurgency operation. Soldiers from the Assam Rifles, an Indian army unit, opened fire on a truck carrying 30 or more coalmine labourers near their camp. The troopers had intelligence inputs about some militant movement in the area and on seeing the truck they mistook the miners to be rebels and opened fire killing six labourers. As news spread of the killings, hundreds of locals surrounded the camp before burning vehicles belonging to the Assam Rifles and clashing with troops. Soldiers then shot dead seven people. The Indian army says that one of its soldiers was killed in the clash, while others were injured. It is said that the cause of the unfortunate loss of lives is being investigated at the highest level. Following the incident, on December 5 evening protesters threw stones at the Assam Rifles camp and tried to set fire to parts of it. Nagaland`s chief minister called the killings "highly condemnable" and assured of investigation.
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