Cadre and civilian killed, one injured
DIMAPUR, MAY 6 (MExN): Factional violence reared its ugly head once again resulting in the killing of two persons and injury to one in an audacious shooting incident in Dimapur on Monday, May 6. The shooting occurred in the heart of town at the Clock Tower junction at around 10:00 am.
One of the deceased, identified as Shunato alias Inato Yeptho (around 23 years of age), is a cadre of the NSCN (K). The other, identified as Kavito Zhimo (20 years) was a civilian and said to be the former’s nephew. The injured, indentified as Biswanath Sarmah, an Advocate by profession, was hit on the right thigh by a stray bullet. Fortunately, the bullet missed the bone. He was rushed to Metro Hospital. His condition was later determined as being stable and out of danger.
According to eye witness accounts, the victims were waylaid at the Clock Tower junction by two shooters. The first volley of shots wounded the one indentified as Kavito Zhimo. The shooters then pursued the other who tried to escape. He is said to have run inside the City Tower building complex at NST colony, where he was shot down. It was at this time that one of the bullets hit Sarmah, who was washing his car. Zhimo succumbed to his wound in Nikos Hospital a few hours later in the afternoon.
Incident will hinder path towards peace: NSCN (K)
Meanwhile, the NSCN (K) has condemned the killing of one of its cadres, sergeant Shunato on May 6 at Dimapur. In a statement, Wangtin Naga, MIP Kilonser of the NSCN (K) stated that the incident will hinder the path towards peace. He asserted that the NSCN (K) is against “killing in Nagaland.” He appealed for the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that peace is sustained. He further alleged, since 2011, “the NSCN (Unification) has been attacking the NSCN (K).”
Wangtin also stated that “leaders” from both the parties have been meeting to discuss peace since April. He informed of a meeting “recently, somewhere in Assam,” where the NSCN (K) had appealed for peace. However he questioned that in the face of this latest killing, “How can we expect peace.”
The NSCN (K) has also extended its condolences to the members of the bereaved family. Wangtin stated that sergeant Shunato’s contribution would be “remembered in the annals of Naga history.” Praying for his soul to rest in peace, he added that the NSCK (K) shares the grief and pain over the death of its cadre.
GPRN/NSCN on shooting incident
The GPRN/NSCN has issued a statement on the shooting that took place on May 6 at Dimapur. A press note by the Ministry of Information and Publicity, GPRN/NSCN, Kehoi stated that on May 6, the “office of the Town Commander was informed that some miscreant were demanding Rs. 5 lacs in a shop, and warned with death threats, that if not paid would be shot at.”
The MIP informed that, some cadres were “sent to the shop located at City tower to check, as we do not entertain extortion in any form except the yearly taxes collected from shops.” It further informed that on reaching the location, “the miscreants who were from the Khaplang group recognized our cadres and fired upon them injuring one.” The note also said, “in the spirit of reconciliation, we have an unwritten law that we will not fire at anybody unless provoked. Since we were shot at, we fired back in retaliation.”
The GPRN/NSCN has stated that it would not “entertain anybody who creates fear in the minds of the people of Nagaland by demanding and serving death threats.” It informed that there have been a number of instances where such incidents have cropped up. However, it added that these “anti-socials have been sent off scot-free, bearing in mind the reconciliation process that the Nagas have painstakingly been nurturing.” The note asserted, “When the same is repeated time and again, we cannot sit and stare while the society deteriorates.”
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