Security forces dismissed the claim of NSCN (IM) that it was not responsible for the “brutal killing” of NSCN (KK) cadre, Jomie Konyak on the outskirts of Chatung village under Longding district in Arunachal Pradesh on February 28.
The security forces termed the outfit’s claim as baseless and hiding and misrepresentation of actual facts.
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Public relations officer (defence) Lt Col Sumit K Sharma, in a statement, on Saturday said locals revealed to Arunachal police at around 2.30 pm on February 28 that body of a person identified as “self-styled” Pvt. Jonie Konyak, a resident of Mon district of Nagaland, was found by an old man of Chatung village.
The body was found blindfolded, tied to a tree and had injury marks depicting torture before being shot, the statement said.
The statement said as per investigations, “self-styled” Sgt. Wanglem Wangsu, who earlier defected from NSCN (IM) to NSCN (KK) in 2019, was at Chatung at around 3.30 pm on the same day and that while resting in a hut near Tisa river with Konyak, they observed a few NSCN (IM) cadres.
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When they tried to escape, Konyak was caught by the NSCN (IM) cadres, it said.
Quoting evidence, the security forces said Konyak then underwent severe torture by the NSCN (IM) before being shot dead.
Inputs from locals indicated that “self-styled” Sgt. Maj Wangnai of NSCN (IM) was likely involved in this killing, the statement said.
It alleged that the NSCN (IM) has been repeatedly refuting their “immoral acts”, as was the case in the killing of MLA from Tirap district Tirong Aboh and 10 locals in June 2018, the ambush on an Assam Rifles column in Sanliam, south Arunachal Pradesh, on October 21, 2020.
The defence statement said the outfit also refuted its involvement in beating a peace-loving citizen on a peaceful march with the Indian and Naga flag and abduction and torture of a social activist of Manipur for filing an RTI application against misappropriation of funds.
The security forces said the NSCN (IM) hierarchy must take ownership of the entire incident and refrain from diversionary tactics by targeting the Assam Rifles to fend off immoral acts of their cadres.
They said the Assam Rifles being the sentinels of the Northeast will continue to look after the best interest of the region and locals.