North East News Agency

In a tragic incident nine Naga jawans lost their lives when Maoist guerrillas blew up a private vehicle in which the jawans were traveling. Equal numbers of jawans have also been injured in the incident.

The Naga jawans — deployed for counter-insurgency operations — were returning to Bhejji after patrolling in the private vehicle to dodge the rebels. According to Sources the truck, carrying two dozen jawans, was tossed 20 feet into the air before landing in pieces. The blast was followed by heavy firing from the rebels.

An NAP battalion comprising 850 policemen has been deployed in the Bastar region in Chattisgarh, a stronghold of the Naxalites, in June 2005. Police say the Naxals, who have a strong presence in many of the State’s 16 districts, have stepped up violent activities in recent times. Following the incident, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil convened a meeting to layout strategies to check the growing violence of the naxalites.

Bodies of the slain jawans were brought to Dimapur in a special BSF plane. A humongous crowd gathered to pay their last respects to the slain cadres. Nagaland Government paid full state honour to the slain IRB personnel. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio while offering his condolences said “We are proud of them for their bravery, for their sense of duty, and for the way they have taken up their difficult assignment in a distant land with courage and dedication.” The State Government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs two lakh each to the families of the deceased apart from government jobs to the next to the kins of the deceased. Two seriously injured soldiers would be paid Rs 50,000 each while the others injured are to be paid Rs 25,000 each. Nagaland Home Minister Thenucho also condemned the killing and said the deeds of the jawans should never be forgotten.

In his condolence message, Nagaland Governor Syamal Datta said that the brave jawans of the 9 NAP fell to the dastardly act perpetrated by desperate groups with a violent ideology having no future. “No words are enough to condemn this despicable act of the perpetrators. Such acts will not deter the government in fighting the forces inimical to progress. The supreme sacrifice of our courageous men will not go in vain”, Mr. Datta stressed while conveying his heartfelt grief to the families of the deceased and the injured NAP personnel. The Governor also expressed confidence that the Centre and the State governments in Nagaland and Chhattisgarh would do everything possible to provide much needed support to the affected families.

However, the funeral service ended in chaos as the relatives of the deceased gheraoed the coffins.They demanded immediate withdrawal of the 9th IRB battalion from Chattisgarh. NSF, NPMHR have also demanded immediate withdrawal of the Naga battalion and hold the Nagaland Government responsible for the deaths.

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