Nagaland SIT quizzes Army personnel over killing of 14 civilians in Mon

A special investigation team (SIT) of the Nagaland government Thursday interrogated the personnel of Indian Army's 21 Para Special Forces in connection with the killing of 14 civilians in Mon district in firing by security forces.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the 22-member SIT interrogated the Indian Army personnel at the Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI) in Jorhat district of Assam.

The PTI report quoted sources as saying that the interrogation by the SIT, which is headed by Nagaland Police Additional DGP (Law and Order) Sandeep M Tamgadge, continued till late evening of Thursday and will resume again on Friday morning.

Also watch: Nagaland: Govt extends AFSPA for 6 months amid row over civilian killings

The Nagaland government had on Wednesday expanded the five-member probe team to a 22-member one and divided it into seven small groups.

Officials said the government wants to complete the probe into the violence as soon as possible for quick justice.

On December 4, six coal miners returning from work were killed in a botched anti-terrorist operation by the security forces at Oting village, while seven others were gunned down when angry villagers scuffled with them after discovering the bullet-riddled bodies of the labourers on an Army truck.

One security personnel was also killed in the melee. Another civilian was killed when a mob attacked an Assam Rifles camp at Mon town the next day.