NSCN-K announces bounty on Indian Army

Close on the heels of NSCN-K faction announcing a bounty on the head of every Indian soldier “captured alive”, the Army has asked its personnel to remain extra-cautious while visiting their native places on holiday. “We have issued an advisory to our soldiers asking them to be extra-cautious during leave, when they visit their native places,” said a senior official.

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) faction announced the cash reward to the residents of border districts of Manipur and Assam, who capture alive Indian soldiers, after the Army destroyed several of the outfit’s camps located on Indo-Myanmar border on June 9, causing “significant losses”. The Army had on the intervening night of June 8-9 conducted a special operation inside Myanmar territory and killed several insurgents, believed to be responsible for the deadly ambush on an Army convoy on June 4 in which 18 soldiers were killed. According to sources, the Army’s offensive against the insurgent groups had forced them wreak revenge. “Anyone, who hand over an Indian soldier alive, will be rewarded with huge cash,” said the militant outfit.

A large number of the Assam Rifles personnel are camping near the border areas of Assam and Manipur and the NSCN-K faction is likely to target them when they leave for their native places. The last three months had witnessed several deadly militant attacks on the Army and Assam Rifles, after the NSCN-K pulled out of the 15-year-long ceasefire agreement with the Centre in March.

On April 2, a convoy of 4 Rajput Battalion was attacked by suspected NSCN-K cadre at Khonsa in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh in which four soldiers were killed and several others were injured. A month later, the outfit struck in Nagaland’s Mon district, killing eight Assam Rifles soldiers. The NSCN-K was formed by S S Khaplang and Khole Konyak in 1988 to establish “Greater Nagaland”.

According to sources in the intelligence agencies, the NSCN-K has been drawing financial and arms support from China and trying to attract other outfits operating in Manipur into its fold. The NSCN-K withdrew from the ceasefire agreement with the Centre after Ulfa chief Paresh Barua and Beijing persuaded Khaplang to walk out of the agreement. According to sources, the decision was opposed by two of its senior leaders, Y Wangtin Naga and P Tikhak, who subsequently decided to float a new Naga militant outfit.

Significantly, the recent attack on the Army convoy was carried out with the support of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and a faction of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP).