SHILLONG, April 27 — Drugs including one kilogram of heroin and five kg of ganja and fake vehicle number plates were recovered from an illegal NSCN(IM) town command headquarter in Dimapur recently exposing fresh evidence that the militant outfit is engaged in drug-peddling and other unlawful activities in violation of the ceasefire ground rules. Assam Rifles sources here revealed that the troops of the para-military force busted the unauthorised camp of NSCN(IM) on April 21 last in a lightning board daylight operation. As per ceasefire ground rules in Nagaland, all NSCN (IM) cadres are required to locate themselves in their designated camps.
However, the NSCN(IM) had discretely established the unauthorised town command headquarters at Khushiabil in Dimapur, the presence of which and nefarious activities carried out from there, had created a fear-psychosis among the citizens of the commercial town. In fact, Nagaland Home Minister Dr TM Lotha, in a statement of April 21, had accused both the NSCN factions of violating the mutually agreed ceasefire ground rules. “Extortions, threats and intimidation have continued and the people are living in fear in both the rural and urban areas in the state. The cadres of the factions have also not moved into their designated camps as agreed,” he had said.
As the operation unfolded on April 21, the cadres based in the camp tried to flee on seeing the approaching Assam Rifles troops which has been entrusted to enforce the ground rules. After a chase of about one kilometre, a self-styled captain Paul Thangkhul and self-styled sergeant major Veta Chakhesang, were apprehended by the troops. Two fully loaded M-20 pistols were recovered from their possession. The search of the town command headquarter led to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition which included one AK 47 rifle, one 9 mm carbine with two magazines, 18 pistols and one revolver. Other seized items included 350 rounds of ammunition, one binocular, two long-range cordless telephones and many other incriminating documents.
In direct evidence of the unlawful activities of the NSCN(IM), the troops also recovered about one kg of heroin, five kg of ganja, six fake car number plates and two cars without papers (one Maruti 800 and one Honda). Meanwhile, a hardcore UNLF militant, who was being tracked since February last year, had been finally killed in a shootout with troops of the Assam Rifles in Thoubal district of Manipur on April 3.
A press release issued by the Assam Rifles here said the slain ultra was known to have carried ut an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a patrol of Assam Rifles in February last year. One officer and three jawan were killed in the attack. The ultra, identified as self-styled corporal T Joy Kumar Singh, was being tracked since then. A 9 mm Colt pistol (American make), five rounds of 9 mm ball, three detonators with wire, 55 rounds of AK-47 ball and two lead rounds used for preparing IEDs were recovered from the killed extremist.