Says “something cold and sinister about the video clip” and “is evidently a premeditated and pre-planned aimed at provoking communal antagonism”
DIMAPUR, AUGUST 18 (MExN): Responding to a viral video which purportedly showed personnel of the Naga Army engaged in selling/supplying arms to a particular party/community, the NSCN (IM) today clarified that the person seen in the viral video went missing since he was granted medical leave on August 7, 2023 for ear infection and sent to Dimapur.
He surfaced through this viral video floating in social media, a press release from the MIP of the NSCN (IM) said. It identified the person as H Khosüvei Lovingson Road of Shepoumaramth Region, who joined Naga national service on October 12, 2022 and did his basic military training during the early part of 2023. He was then posted at Thungbo Brigade, Naga Army as a private.
The NSCN (IM) further revealed that Lovingson was granted medical leave on August 7, 2023, for a ear infection and was sent to Dimapur but went missing since then and “surfaced through this viral video floating in social medias.” The press release said, “According to his commander he proved himself a dubious character, a habitual liar and violating the integrity of a soldier.”
It meanwhile claimed that “there is something cold and sinister about the video clip.” “The video is evidently a premeditated and pre-planned aimed at provoking communal antagonism and force the hypersensitive situation descends into mayhem by creating hostile environment among the communities and thereby portrays NSCN in bad light,” it added.
The NSCN (IM) said that “it is beyond credible sense that a mere rookie private soldier on leave could have access to such illicit arms dealings unless he has premeditated action plan in collusion with the Indian security forces/agency.”
“Naga Army handles its armoury or any military related matter with the crash tested security systems where no officer other than the concerned commander of the unit/area has access to it, least of all a mere private soldier,” it assured.
The NSCN (IM) said that “this video viral is nothing but the work of a bunch of warmongers.”
The video, which surfaced on August 18, featured a youth, who made claims of supplying weapons to the PREPAK. In the viral video, the youth is seen answering queries from a man, who does not appear in frame. The youth claimed that he was a ‘corporal’ in the NSCN (IM) and was recently engaged in handing over assault rifles to a PREPAK cadre in Kanglatongpi, Imphal West in exchange for cash amounting to some Rs 10-15 lakh.
He claimed that he was asked by his superior, stationed in the NSCN (IM) GHQ, to go to Imphal. He did not specify the date when the alleged exchange of weapons and money occurred.
The Defence establishment did not corroborate the claims nor did it respond to the NSCN (IM) rubbishing the claims. Other official sources maintained that the veracity of the claims made was under investigation.
