2021 Nagaland killings
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (December 2021) |
| 2021 Oting Nagaland Massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Ethnic conflict in Nagaland | |
| Location | Tiru–Oting road, Mon District, Nagaland |
| Date | 4 December 2021 4:00–5:00 p.m. |
| Target | Civilians |
Attack type | Ambush |
| Deaths | 13 |
| Perpetrators | Assam Rifles |
The 2021 Oting Nagaland massacre, took place on 4 December, 2021, when Assam Rifles forces fired upon civilian labourers while they were returning home in a pick-up van from a coal mine.[1][2]
The incident sparked outrage in Nagaland and was widely condemned.[3][4][5]
Massacre
On the evening of 4 December 2021 at around 4:00–5:00 p.m. soldiers of the Assam Rifles opened fire on six unarmed civilians from Oting village of Mon District of Nagaland (on suspicions that they were insurgents from the NSCN) who were heading back home from a coal mining work at Tiru. All six were killed on spot.
On hearing the gunshots, the villagers rushed to the spot to find the soldiers wrapping and loading the dead bodies on their truck. The village youths who arrived on spot searched the truck and found the dead bodies after which violence broke out between the villagers and the army. The villagers burnt down the trucks of the army and started attacking them with Dao (machete) they were carrying with them. In retaliation to the attack by the villagers, the Army fired them which led to the death of seven more individuals and several other were left seriously injured.
Aftermath
In protest against the killings, the Nagas hoisted black flags on all its Morungs at the venue of the ongoing Hornbill Festival while the Konyaks decided to abstain its cultural troupe from participating at the festival which was followed by the rest of the other Naga cultural troupes on 5 December. A two minutes silence was also observed at the venue on the same day. Later that evening, the capital of Nagaland, Kohima observed a power blackout for 30 minutes in respect for the lives lost.[6][7]
See also
References
- ^ "Nagaland killings: rioting as Indian security forces shoot dozen civilianst". The Guardian. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "At least 13 civilians shot dead by army in India's Nagaland state". Al Jazeera. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ Mishra, Stuti (5 December 2021). "Nagaland: 13 civilians accidentally shot dead by Indian security forces". The Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "NESO condemns Oting massacre, demands repeal of AFSPA". www.uniindia.com. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Amit Shah expresses anguish over Nagaland killings, conveys condolences to families". The Times of India. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Several civilians killed by security forces in Mon; High-level SIT t to investigate incident". The Morung Express. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "Nagaland killings: Lotha Hoho to abstain from Hornbill Festival". East Mojo. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.