Assam Rifles driver killed and four personnel critically injured in suspected Chümoukedima IED blast; Chief Minister Rio vows justice.
DIMAPUR — An Assam Rifles driver was killed and four personnel sustained critical injuries in a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) blast along the Chümoukedima (A) village–Shokhuvi road on Monday afternoon, officials said.
The injured personnel were rushed to the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) for treatment.
The Assam Rifles personnel were travelling in a Mahindra Bolero pickup truck when the suspected IED exploded at around 2 pm. An auto-rickshaw at the scene was also completely destroyed, with only parts of its engine remaining scattered across the blast site.
No group had claimed responsibility for the attack till the filing of this report. Assam Rifles and Nagaland Police launched an investigation and secured the area soon after the incident.
A resident living near the blast site recalled that the explosion occurred at around 2 pm. “It was extremely hot, so I was sitting outside my house with my wife and baby when suddenly there was a massive explosion. The entire house shook violently,” he said.
The man immediately moved his family to safety before hearing an injured Assam Rifles jawan calling out for help from the roadside. "He shouted, 'Brother, come here, come here. I've been shot.' The whole area was covered in thick smoke," he recounted.
After the smoke began to clear, the resident rushed to assist the injured soldier. "He pointed to his head and asked me to remove what he thought was a bullet. When I pulled it out, it turned out to be a long metal fragment, around three centimetres in length," he said.
The resident said that he saw about five injured personnel at the site, while the driver appeared to be in a critical condition. He added that one of the injured personnel remained conscious and was making a phone call. He further shared that he collected some of the blast debris that had landed inside his compound and kept it in a sack.
Another civilian residing about 100 metres from the blast site sustained minor injuries after being struck by flying debris. Recalling the incident, he said that he was sitting outside his house when fragments from the explosion struck his leg.
“At first, I thought someone was firing. After the debris hit my leg, I ran inside the house and lay on the bed while my wife screamed in panic. A man later took me to the hospital in an auto-rickshaw for treatment,” he said.
Guv., CM lead condemnations
Governor Nand Kishore Yadav strongly condemned the "heinous act of violence" and expressed profound grief over the death of the Assam Rifles personnel. He prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved family, colleagues and loved ones, while wishing the injured personnel a speedy and complete recovery.
He also expressed confidence that the authorities would conduct a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice. He reaffirmed his solidarity with the Assam Rifles and all security forces in their commitment to maintaining peace, security and stability in the state.
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Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also condemned the incident in a post on X, describing the blast as "a cowardly act that has no place in our society."
"The bomb blast at Chümoukedima is a cowardly act that has no place in our society. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. Those responsible will be identified and brought to justice. We will not allow such acts to threaten the peace and security of our people," Rio said.
Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang, in a post on X, strongly condemned the blast at Khopanala in Chümoukedima district, saying such acts of violence were alien to Nagaland and had no place in its peaceful society.
He stated that attempts to spread fear, create panic and destabilise the state must be condemned in the strongest terms, and urged law enforcement agencies to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible. Zeliang also expressed condolences to the bereaved family and wished the injured personnel a speedy recovery.
Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton described the blast as a direct attack on the peace and security cherished by the people of Nagaland. He extended his thoughts and prayers to those affected, wished the injured a speedy recovery and asserted that those responsible would be identified and brought to justice.
Patton stated that such acts of intimidation would not be allowed to undermine the state's safety, peace and stability, adding that the administration remained committed to maintaining law and order.
The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) also condemned what it described as the "cowardly IED blast", which claimed the life of Assam Rifles Havildar Mohd Iqbal and injured four other personnel.
Expressing condolences to the bereaved family and wishing the injured a speedy recovery, the council stated that such acts of violence had no place in society and amounted to a direct assault on the peace, stability and progress that Nagaland had been striving to achieve.
The CNTC unequivocally denounced terrorism and anti-national activities targeting security forces or civilians, urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, and appealed to all sections of society to remain calm and united while rejecting violence and working towards a peaceful and prosperous Nagaland.