Relatives of people killed in Nagaland’s incident refused to accept govt. compensation…

Following the terrible occurrence in Nagaland’s Oting Village, the villagers of Oting in Nagaland’s Mon district, as well as the relatives of the 14 individuals slain by security forces, have refused to accept any government compensation unless the personnel responsible are “brought to justice.”

The Oting Village Council stated in a statement that state minister P Paiwang Konyak and the district’s deputy commissioner gave Rs 18.30 lakh on December 5 while the villagers were engaged with burial arrangements and other activities in the aftermath of the killings. They initially mistook it for a “symbol of affection and present” from the minister, but subsequently discovered it was an instalment of the state government’s ex gratia for the relatives of those slain and injured, according to the report.

“The Oting Village Council and victim families will not receive it until and unless the perpetrators of the Indian Armed Forces’ 21st Para Commandos are brought to justice under the Civil Code of Law and the Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) is repealed throughout the North Eastern region,” the statement said.

Village Council chairman Longwang Konyak, Angh (‘king’) Tahwang, Deputy Angh Chingwang, and Gaon Burahs (village chieftains) of Mongnei and Nyanei signed the declaration on Sunday.