DIMAPUR — Just hours after a video clip, which shows a ‘Naga Army personnel’ confessing to supplying arms to a particular community in Manipur amid the ongoing crisis, went viral on Friday, the NSCN (IM) denied its involvement and said that it’s “nothing but the work of a bunch of war-mongers’.”
In a clarification issued in connection with the claims made in the video footage, the MIP of NSCN/GPRN informed that the person seen in the visual clip is H. Khosiivei Lovingson Roah of Sirong village in Shepoumaramth Region.
It added that he joined Naga national service on October 12, 2022 and completed basic military training earlier this year before being posted at Thungbo Brigade, Naga Army as “private”.
The group claimed that ‘he was granted medical leave on August 7 for ear infection and sent to Dimapur but went missing since before surfacing through the viral video’. “According to his commander, he proved himself a dubious character, a habitual liar and violating the integrity of a soldier,” it added.
The NSCN (IM) went on to say that ‘any layman on the street will understand that there is something cold and sinister about the video clip’.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]“The video is evidently a premeditated and pre-planned aimed at provoking communal antagonism and force the hypersensitive situation descends into mayhem by creating hostile environment among the communities and thereby portrays NSCN in bad light.
“Simply put, it is beyond credible sense that a mere rookie private soldier on leave could have access to such illicit arms dealings unless he has premeditated action plan in collusion with the Indian security forces/agency,” read the clarification.
“Naga Army handled its armoury or any military related matter with the crash tested security systems where no officer other than the concerned commander of the unit/area has access to it, least of all a mere private soldier,” it added.
In the viral video, a person claiming to be a ‘Naga Army’ said while answering to questions asked by an anonymous person that the NSCN (IM) had provided five weapons, including sophisticated ones to a Meitei group.
He also claimed that the Meitei group had paid about INR 10 to 15 lakh for the weapon. He went on to claim that the NSCN (IM) could be planning to send 10 to 15 of its members to Manipur, though no one has joined any group so far.
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