Three NSCN (I-M) activists were apprehended alongwith arms during a combined flush out operation conducted by the District Administration, Police, IRB and Assam Rifles in various colonies of the State capital on Sunday afternoon.
Official sources said the combined forces numbering around 300 officials and security personnel conducted raids in different colonies including D’ Block, Seikhazou, Daklane, Naga Bazar, New Market, Tin Patti and Kezekie.
During the search operation at Seikhazou, the combined forces arrested two NSCN (I-M) activists identified as Elijah Thonman, son of Kosa Thonman, Veanlariam village, Thoubal district, Manipur and Asetuo Zalie, son of Lt. Neipilie, Kijumetouma village under Kohima district, and recovered one 7.62 pistol with four live rounds and one magazine, one .22 revolver with six live rounds and a .38 revolver with 20 live rounds.
In another raid at Tin Patti, security forces arrested one NSCN (I-M) activist identified as Mahoris, son of Stephen of Khangkhui village, Ukhrul district, and recovered one AK-56 rifle with 30 live rounds and one magazine, one .9mm pistol and a .7.56 pistol and two magazines.
Highly placed sources said the flush-out operation in the state capital was expected to continue in the coming days too.
Meanwhile, personnel of 42nd Assam Rifles during routine operation on NH-39 at Zubza, arrested three persons traveling in a Maruti Alto and recovered a Chinese grenade and detonator from their possession, Sunday at around 2.30 p.m.
The three identified as Nympa Konyak, Wangpou Konyak and Phiilao Konyak, all from ‘GPRN/NSCN,’ were later handed over to Nagaland Police. There three persons were lodged in North Police station, Kohima.
‘GPRN’ Angami region condemns
The ‘GPRN/NSCN’ Angami Region has condemned the reported raids carried out in the residence of its care taker-cum-monitoring cell co-member, Neiba Kire and his colleagues and also the arrest of two of their cadre members by the district administration along with joint forces of Police and Assam Rifles at D. Khel, Kohima village, on Sunday. Care taker, ‘GPRN/NSCN’ Angami Region, Neiba Kire in a press release also condemned the alleged chasing of ‘GPRN/NSCN’ Angami Region tatar, K K Angami near Mission Compound while the latter was returning home after attending a public meeting along with four of his body guards.
One of body guards was nabbed along with arms while others managed to escape, Kire said. Stating that the Angami Region GPRN had been following a defensive policy in spite of losing several of its own cadre members, Kire also said that the ‘GPRN/NSCN’ functionaries were not occupying the houses of civilian or taking forced shelter, but “living like other common public in our own houses without disturbing or creating any situation anywhere we stay.” The ‘GPRN/NSCN’ requested the authority to release their arrested cadres along with seized arms.