GUWAHATI: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has “strongly condemned the killing of a civilian” in Saturday’s crossfire between the Indian Army and NSCN (IM) cadres at Pumao village in Longding district of eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
In a statement issued to the media, the students union demanded “appropriate ex gratia” to the family of the deceased, Lamdaan Lhukam, and similar compensation to the civilians who sustained injuries in the incident.
“All the MLAs of TLC (Tirap, Longding and Changlang) region and the state government must strongly register their protest in unison before the Union government to hand out exemplary punishment. The personnel involved should be taken to task,” the statement issued by AAPSU president, Hawa Bagang, and general secretary, Tobom Dai, said.
“This act is unbecoming of the Indian Army which claims to be one of the most disciplined forces in the world. The incident has contradicted the very underlying purpose of maintaining law and order and neutralising underground elements for which they have been deployed for,” the statement said.
“The random killing of innocent people from time to time by both army personnel and underground elements active in the TLC region has choked the free-spirited lives of our people. This incident has once again brought forth the pathetic situation our people are subjected to. The deafening silence maintained by the elected representatives of the region is not helping either,” the union leaders alleged.
Army condolence
Meanwhile, the Indian Army in an official defence press statement, while offering condolences to the family of the deceased, stated that “there was a gathering of villagers which started protesting against security forces and resorted to stone pelting. Troops identified suspicious movement and started moving towards a house which drew two to three bursts of fire on the Indian Army party.”
“Civilians were told to disperse, and to safeguard lives and property, controlled retaliation was resorted to by firing eight single shots. In the melee, the insurgents managed to escape. However, in the crossfire, it is believed few villagers got hurt and one villager expired. Indian Army offers condolences to family of the deceased villager. Many soldiers of the Indian Army also got injured due to stone pelting by supporters of NSCN (IM). Indian Army remains firm on its ideal of service before self, Nation First,” the statement said.