DIMAPUR, NOV 27 (MExN): The NSCN (K) has clearly denied having anything to do with the assassination attempt made on Nagaland Post journalist Xavier Rütsa and instead put the blame on the NSCN (IM) alleging that the very nature of the incident and the locality in which the incident occurred was ‘fully infested’ with armed cadres from the NSCN (IM). “Therefore, the NSCN (K) should in no instance be misunderstood or misconceived to have been involved in that very dastardly crime”, the UT-1 Commander of the NSCN (K) said after calling up The Morung Express over telephone on Sunday night.
It may be mentioned that Xavier a Kohima based Correspondent of the oldest and largest circulated local daily, Nagaland Post was shot at on the night of November 24 by an armed miscreant near the premises of New NST, Kohima while he was riding back home along with another colleague.
“The silence of the NSCN (IM) in owning responsibility clearly exhibits their anti-Naga ideologies”, the Commander said. Citing intelligence input gathered by the outfit, the NSCN (K) Commander also mentioned of “people within the NSCN (IM) having confessed to the crime but not being courageous enough to come out on their involvement”.
Describing Xavier as a daring and courageous journalist known for his simplicity, the NSCN (K) expressed willingness to extend any help to nab or expose such criminal activities threatening Naga society.
“The NSCN (K) gives due respect to the Fourth Estate who are the champion of the peoples will for freedom of speech and expression, which is the very basic need for every free people”, the Commander said and pointed out that never in the history of the organization, the NSCN (K) had “committed terrorist act on the innocent people”.
Pointing out that the Naga people have been struggling for freedom and liberty for many decades, “it would be very contradictory on our part to attack the Fourth Estate” and condemned in the strongest term, the assassination attempt made on the life of member from the Fourth Estate.
Refuting the allegation, an NSCN (IM) MIP official told The Morung Express that the accusation was concocted and totally baseless. He said the outfit takes the shooting at Xavier seriously and revealed that their investigation towards the crime was under process. “So far we have some substantive clues but we have not established any evidence. Neither have we arrested any persons in this regard,” he said. The NSCN official further said that it would be too early to provide details of the investigation. He was optimistic that the culprits would be arrested soon.
Meanwhile, Police are still playing a guessing game as to who the perpetrators to the shooting incident are. They have yet to establish who or which organization decided to fire at Rütsa. Further security agencies based in Kohima when contacted appeared to be skeptical on the allegations made by the NSCN (K) against its rivals. “As of now everything is only circumstantial and we cannot pinpoint any individual or group”, said an official from the intelligence wing.
Earlier, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had termed the shooting on the journalist as unfortunate and unexpected. He had also said that the Police had been asked to identify, arrest and book the perpetrators. The Police had been asked to determine if the incident was happenstance or a life attempt on Rütsa.
