Kohima, June 19: The Nagaland government’s goodwill gesture to release 56 jailed activists of different militant groups has run into rough weather four months after its initiation. The militants, arrested under the National Security Act and lodged in different jails of the state, were to be released after a cabinet decision by the DAN government in February. The cabinet, subsequently, took the decision to release the rebels, but no executive order has been sent to the prison authorities to set them free.
“We have read in the newspapers about the decision, but have not received any official order,” director-general, prisons, N.N. Walling said.
There are 30 National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) militants, 24 from the Khaplang group and two from the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) languishing in jails at present.
Walling said the authorities would release the prisoners as soon as they get the government order. However, a series of political changes and a controversial debate over the release of militants have allegedly put on hold the entire process for the past four months. Several senior officials declined to comment on the issue.