Committee Will Be Formed To Look Into Withdrawal of AFSPA: Nagaland Govt

Kohima: The Nagaland government on Sunday said that a committee would soon be instituted to look into the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 23rd and the same was attended by Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, Nagaland deputy CM Y Patton and NPFLP leader TR Zeliang, according to an official statement.

The statement further said that the new committee will be chaired by the MHA's additional secretary for northeast and include the chief secretary and director general of police of Nagaland among others.

A court of inquiry will initiate disciplinary proceedings against Army personnel who were directly involved in the Oting incident which claimed 14 lives.

''Action will be taken immediately on the basis of fair inquiry. The identified persons who will face the inquiry will be placed under suspension with immediate effect,'' the statement read.

Meanwhile, state government has also asked the centre to replace Assam Rifles unit deployed in Mon district of the state.

"The Nagaland delegation impressed upon the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to replace the Assam Rifles unit in Mon with immediate effect," the statement added.

The Nagaland government has also announced that the next to kin of those who died in the Oting incident will be provided with the government jobs.

The demand to repeal AFSPA picked up after a botched-up army operation against insurgents in Nagaland leading to the killings of 14 civilians.

Also read:Army seeks info, photos, videos on Nagaland incident from the public

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