Assam Rifles (AR) says NSCN (I-M) arms not ‘returned/handed over’

Assam Rifles (AR) Friday has maintained that “no weapon or ammunition” were “handed over or returned” to the NSCN (I-M) by the AR “either as a reciprocal gesture or otherwise.” 

This was stated in a release issued by Assam Rifles PRO, IGAR (N) who was reacting to reports in local media that the Assam Rifles, had reciprocated the release of weapons and ammunition on April 24  by the NSCN(I-M) which were seized near  Hebron Camp on April 19 from AR jawans.

 It may be pointed out that the NSCN (I-M) had demanded release of weapons seized by the AR from its card holders in exchange for the weapons and ammunition seized from AR jawans near Hebron on April 19.

The agreement for exchange of seized weapons and ammunition by both sides was also confirmed from representatives of the cease fire monitoring group (CFMG). 

The handing over of weapons seized by the AR from NSCN (I-M)card holders was done in presence of representatives of CFMG. The staff officer CFMG office and personal secretary to CFMG chairman had handed over the seized arms and ammunition to NSCN (I-M) representatives on April 25. The AR had seized the weapons and ammunition seized from NSCN (I-M)card holders in an earlier incident.

The other demand was the immediate pulling back of all AR road blocks leading to various NSCN(I-M) designated camps in Nagaland and Manipur which were undertaken in the aftermath of the arrest of four AR jawans and seizure of their weapons and ammunition after the AR jawans strayed too close to the gate of Hebron camp. The Chairman CFMG has admitted that the AR violated the cease fire ground rules on April 19.