A powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Nagaland’s Chumoukedima district resulted in the death of an Assam Rifles Havildar and injuries to four other personnel. Additional columns of the Assam Rifles and the Nagaland Police have been deployed to enhance search operations. The injured personnel are in stable condition and receiving treatment at a hospital.
The deceased Havildar, Mohammad Iqbal of the 28 Assam Rifles Battalion from Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, was honored in a wreath-laying ceremony before his mortal remains were flown to his home state. Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and other senior officers paid their respects to the fallen soldier in Dimapur. The Assam Rifles expressed deep gratitude for Havildar Iqbal’s sacrifice and reiterated support for his family.
No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack as per a senior Nagaland Police official. The IED exploded near Sukhovi, hitting an Assam Rifles convoy vehicle and causing casualties. The incident, which injured a civilian and damaged nearby property, has been strongly condemned by officials including Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. The NSCN-IM also denounced the attack, labeling it as a cowardly act that threatens regional peace.
The recent blast in Nagaland follows a similar incident in Manipur where two Assam Rifles personnel lost their lives in an ambush. The NSCN-IM, while denying involvement in the Manipur attack, reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement with the Central government. Joint efforts are ongoing to identify the perpetrators behind these violent acts and ensure accountability. The organization emphasized its dedication to the Indo-Naga peace process and vowed to uphold the ceasefire agreement.
