Reported by Bit Irom
Imphal: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) has strongly rejected allegations made by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) linking the outfit to the destruction of poppy plantations, exchange of gunfire, and resulting casualties.
In an official statement, the NSCN-IM criticised the MHA’s order, describing it as “an accusation wrapped in the language of authority” rather than a factual account of events.
Refuting the contents of the recent order issued by the MHA’s Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) Division, the group maintained that it is neither a terrorist organisation nor a banned outfit under Indian law. It accused the Government of India of relying on assumptions rather than evidence.
“By casually attributing a grave and politically sensitive incident to the NSCN, the Government of India has once again chosen presumption over proof and narrative over evidence,” the statement said.
The NSCN-IM categorically denied any role in the destruction of poppy fields, the reported exchange of fire, or the deaths cited in the government order. It further claimed that the allegations were unsubstantiated and appeared intended to influence public perception before any fair and independent investigation could be conducted.
Rejecting the government’s directive in its entirety, the outfit condemned what it termed a “reckless attempt to manufacture guilt without proof” and urged the Centre to act transparently and uphold its commitments under the Milan Memorandum of Understanding signed on November 18, 2002.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation, security forces arrested a self-styled Lance Corporal of the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF), an underground insurgent group, near the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) gate at Khuman Lampak under Imphal Police Station in Imphal West district.
The arrested cadre has been identified as Siro Wungta alias Ronaldo (24), a resident of Tarong village in Manipur’s Kamjong district. According to police, he was apprehended on Wednesday during a security operation in the area.