Pangsha shooting incident remembered

Dimapur, August 27 (MExN): While recalling the Pangsha shooting incident which took place on August 28, 2015, a NSCN (K) functionary today alleged that the Indian Army and Assam Rifles “combined attacked” on a convoy of “families and unarmed, un-uniformed NSCN cadres, and innocent civilians of the area including women and children.”  

Nine Naga travellers, including five unarmed NSCN workers, were killed after the combined force emerged from all sides of the road and surrounded the convoy, Col. Isak Sumi of NSCN (K) reminded in a press statement.  

“The NSCN families were travelling to Pounyu to host the visit of NMA delegation the next day at Pounyu and the rest were returning after attending a medical camp that was held at Pangsha village,” the statement said. The Naga Mother Association’s delegation was on its way for a peace meeting with NSCN (K).  

While there are conflicting versions, the shooting incident in Pangsha, an Indo-Myanmar bordering village, on August 28, 2015 killed nine people, including four civilians, when troops of 23 Assam Rifles and (SF) Para commandos reportedly laid an ambush on a group of NSCN (K) cadre. The Assam Rifles had said in the media that it was not an ambush but a retaliatory action when NSCN (K) cadres had fired upon security forces.  

However, this claim is repudiated by the other side. “Sniper Rifles and lethal explosives were used against these unarmed Nagas and despite the victims identifying themselves as non-combatants were all shot at point blank,” the NSCN functionary alleged in the statement.  

The driver of the vehicle, a young boy, was also killed “at point blank” after he escaped the ambush and his concealed body was recovered by the villagers after two days search, it further claimed. Two civilian Konyak citizens travelling to Pounyu village died under similar circumstances, it said.  

A husband and his wife were also killed at the “same time on the spot,” and an unarmed Naga soldier “who was not hit at the first cycle of firing was dragged down from the vehicle and shot at point blank in presence of few survivors,” the statement added.  

“A nurse from Pounyu village, two local civilians and another wife of NSCN member were grievously injured and still recovering in Hospitals after the lapse of one year,” it further informed.  

Further accusing the security forces of allegedly plotting the ambush, the statement claimed that the Assam Rifles stationed at Noklak had given clearance to NSCN members to “attend the medical camp without uniform and Arms.”  

They went accordingly unaware of their plot, it added. The statement further declared that the incident is a grim reminder of “nearly 70 years of killings being committed on the Nagas irrespective of affiliation” by Indian Army.  

“The dead are no more with us but their sacrifice shall continue to inspire generation and generations to fight for the honour, identity and freedom of our land and her people for time and times to come,” it added.