Kohima, Jan. 29: A senior member of the National Socialist Council Of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah)?s tatar (council), Tevodeho Tetso, was abducted and killed by unidentified persons yesterday. In a bitter reaction, the NSCN (I-M) immediately put the blame on its rival, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) for the killing.
Tetso?s body was recovered near Rusoma village, 10 km from Kohima, this morning. He was abducted by unidentified gunmen from near the Kohima High School junction on Monday.
Though Kohima police had launched a hunt after a complaint was filed, all they could recover was Tetso?s body. The body bore bullet wounds on the head. Police sources said Tetso had been shot at from point blank range. He was a senior leader of the NSCN (I-M)?s Angami region.
Tetso was reportedly a resident of Zakhama village but used to live in Sovomi.
The NSCN (I-M) has termed the murder as an insult to the entire Naga people, saying such acts are intended to disturb the ongoing peace process. ?It is an unwelcome development as recently our leaders had come to India to negotiate peace,? the ceasefire monitoring cell convenor, Phungthing Shimrang, told The Telegraph. Asked if it auguered violence in the coming days, he replied, ?Ask them. We have not done anything.?
The NSCN (Khaplang)?s Angami region chairman expressed shock over the incident and condemned the killing. Office-bearers of the faction?s ministry of information and publicity in Mokokchung could not be contacted.
While asserting that it has no ill feelings towards any particular individual and was not involved in the killing of Tetso, the NSCN (K) said it has initiated a ?probe? into the incident.
While the police have registered a case, the ceasefire monitoring group is yet to comment on the incident. ?We will have to assess the situation,? said monitoring cell chairman Lt. Gen. R.V. Kulkarni.
On plans to hold meetings of the cell and the ceasefire supervisory board after the incident, he said, ?We have to meet but people concerned have to be available and things should be scheduled.?
This is the first major alleged factional killing after the peace talks in Delhi.