[Eight mine workers were shot in a
mistaken ambush by soldiers seeking insurgents, and six protesters died later
in clashes with government forces, stoking fears of further violence in the
restive region.]
By Sameer Yasir and Hari Kumar
Eight of the civilians were killed
when a truck carrying coal miners returning from work was mistakenly ambushed
late Saturday by security forces searching for insurgents in the Tiru area of
Nagaland State, along the border with Myanmar, according to local officials.
The Indian Army said that the soldiers had been responding to “credible
intelligence” reports about the movement of insurgents, who often cross into
Myanmar after attacking soldiers.
News about the killings spread
quickly on social media and prompted residents in the area to attack troops and
set two military vehicles on fire. After an Indian soldier was killed during
the protests and street fighting, security forces opened fire on crowds,
resulting in the killing of five more people on Saturday night. On Sunday
afternoon, another civilian was killed by government forces after protesters
entered an Indian Army camp.
In a statement referring to the
ambush on Saturday, the Indian Army said: “The incident and its aftermath is
deeply regretted. The cause of the unfortunate loss of lives is being
investigated at the highest level and appropriate action will be taken as per
the course of law.”
For decades, India’s remote
northeastern region, comprising eight states linked to the rest of the country
via a relatively narrow strip of land north of Bangladesh, has been roiled by
separatist insurgencies led by local militant organizations. Those groups’
campaigns have ranged from pushing for more autonomy to demanding full
independence.
Violence had been declining in the
region — which has borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar — after
India built a heavy military presence and signed a peace agreement in 2015 with separatist
groups.
But clashes there have become more
frequent in recent months, including in July, when five
police officers were killed and dozens of other officers and civilians
were wounded during a standoff at a long-disputed border crossing between Assam
and Mizoram States. The killings of the civilians in Nagaland over the weekend
stoked fears that the violence could escalate further.
Local tribal leaders said on Sunday
that the miners had been returning home to the village of Oting, in the Mon
district, when the truck carrying them was ambushed.
As anger about the killings rippled
out, the authorities in the region shut down mobile internet and messaging
services to stop the spread of rumors, officials said.
The Indian home minister, Amit
Shah, who is responsible for domestic security, said that he was “anguished”
about the deaths and offered his condolences to the families of those killed.
In a post on Twitter, Mr. Shah vowed a thorough investigation
“to ensure justice to the bereaved families.”
Toshi Ao, a law professor at the
University of Delhi who is from Nagaland, said that the state had been slowly
recovering from decades of unrest and that it had started to attract tourists
as more peaceful conditions prevailed in recent years.
“People were trying to move ahead,”
the professor said. “But incidents like these resurface the history of
atrocities committed against civilians in the memory.”
“It was a big mistake on the part
of the security forces,” he added.
India
Border Clash Leaves at Least 5 Dead
Indian
Soldiers Killed in Militant Ambush in Nagaland
Sameer Yasir is a reporter for The
New York Times, covering the intersection of identity politics, conflicts and
society. He joined The Times in 2020 and is based in New Delhi. @sameeryasir
Hari Kumar is a reporter in the New
Delhi bureau. He joined The Times in 1997. @HariNYT
