IRAC demands judicial inquiry into killings of 13 tribals in Nagaland in alleged ambush by armed forces

On the evening of 4 December 2021, 13 civilians belonging to the Konyak tribe in were killed an alleged ambush by the Assam Rifles at Oting village in Mon district of eastern Nagaland.

As per reports, the army undertook a security operation based on intelligence inputs and allegedly fired upon a truck carrying tribal labourers who were returning home from a coal mine in a pick-up truck. While six persons lost their lives on 4 December, another seven succumbed to their injuries till morning of 5 December. In addition, many other civilians were reportedly injured in the “ambush”.

The Indigenous Rights Advocacy Centre (IRAC) has moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and demanded a judicial inquiry to investigate the killings and submit a report to the NHRC within four weeks. IRAC also sought directions from the NHRC to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the state government of Nagaland to provide interim compensation of Rs 20 lakhs to each family of the deceased persons and Rs 5 lakhs to each injured person.