Nagaland: Supreme Court Clears Army of Criminal Charges in Mon District Massacre of 13 Civilians

KOHIMA: In a landmark judgment, Supreme Court has dismissed the criminal proceedings against the army personnel who had indulged in the incident that occurred on December 4 last year in the Nagaland's Mon district, where 13 civilians lost their lives.

The Supreme Court, in the judgment yesterday, has quashed FIRs filed against the armed forces after confirming the death of 13 civilians in the December 4 incident of Mon district of Nagaland.

The court verdict dismisses the FIRs filed in connection with the case while, at the same time, leaving all avenues open for internal disciplinary action within the Armed Forces.

The tragedy started as an Army unit mistakenly fired upon a truck full of coal miners in the Oting village, killing six civilians initially.

The confrontation quickly turned ugly with the local villagers and security forces fighting each other; the result of this confrontation was the killing of seven more civilians and one soldier.

While the Supreme Court has stayed the criminal process it allowed the criminal trial to proceed if further permission is given. The court has also reserved space for the Armed Forces to take any action that may require disciplinary measures internally.

Proceedings in the challenged FIRs shall be closed. However, if sanction is granted, the case may proceed accordingly. We have also noted that the Armed Forces can take appropriate disciplinary measures, the Supreme Court said.

On December 4, 2021, an Indian Army unit from the 21st Para Special Forces mistakenly killed six civilians near the village of Oting in Nagaland's Mon District. The situation worsened, leading to further violence that resulted in eight more civilian deaths and death of one soldier. The incident drew wide criticism and calls to repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Ambush by a unit of 21 Para Special Forces on an open-bed pickup truck carrying civilians from Oting village back from a coal mine in Tiru on December 4, 2021, between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. kills six, with two seriously injured when the Army opened fire on the truck.

The army said it was a case of mistaken identity, alleging they believed the truck carried the Naga insurgents. It further said it opened fire only after the vehicle failed to stop when the roadside personnel asked it to. However, survivors and preliminary police investigation in Nagaland have contradicted these claims.

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