Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, May 7: In a major embarrassment, the 32 Assam Rifles on May 5 raided a house in Zunheboto—suspected to be of a member of one of the armed Naga groups, only to end up with the conclusion that the “suspect” was indeed innocent.
The “victim”, Henito Kibami issued a statement on Tuesday saying that the AR personnel had come to his house at around 9 pm that day—‘entering his residence and waking his family up (including his children) without any reason.’
Kibami, who is an employee of the state’s Public Works department (Housing Division), said that he tried to identify himself by showing both his and his wife’s identity cards, as both of them are government employees.
While speaking to Eastern Mirror, Kibami said “the AR claimed to have ‘full suspicion’ that I was a member of an underground (sic) faction.” He repeatedly attempted to convince the AR personnel of his innocence but, he said, the AR personnel insisted that he surrender his “arms and ammunitions.”
The Assam Rifles personnel reportedly combed his entire house for an hour. According to Kibami, the AR officer in charge of the raid had said that “one of the neighbours pointed towards his residence saying he was a part of the underground (sic).”
“I also tried to convince the officer that I am a family man and a peaceful citizen and that I am in no way connected to underground (sic) factions. However, in spite of my repeated appeal, the jawans demanded to me to surrender my arms and ammunitions and then thoroughly searched my entire house for nearly an hour.
“Such act of harassment meted to the innocent and peace-loving citizen is condemned and which should be condemned by one and all. Fear psychosis and insecurity is infused in the minds of my innocent young children. I and my family will always be a peaceful and law abiding citizen and as government servants will always be sincere in discharging our duties,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, an AR official confirmed to Eastern Mirror that the raid was, indeed, conducted. “Whenever we receive continuous inputs, we generally launch an operation so that there is no room for doubt. So generally, whatever inputs we get, we try to honour it,” he explained.
The official claimed that the report of harassment alleged by Kibami was not entirely true. “Why would the security forces try to indulge in such activity when things are peaceful?”
Also, he said, the raid was conducted in presence of a police representative. “Based on the input that was received, we found nothing that was against the individual in terms of arms and ammunitions and incriminating documents,” he said, while adding that no objection certificate was obtained from the individual before the AR personnel left the house.
Asked if Kibami was “innocent,” the official replied : “He was innocent, it was just a search based on inputs.”
Conversely, he was asked if it was, then, a failure of the AR’s intelligence network. “I cannot say it’s a ‘failure’, as sources are many and varied. However, every input is honoured as it pertains to security,” he replied.
