The Indian Army has given the green light to Nagaland's Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine and record the statements of officers and soldiers involved in the ambush that led to the unfortunate killing of 14 civilians in Mon district earlier this month, reported NDTV, citing sources.
Though it is not clear whether the SIT will interrogate the soldiers or just take prepared statements, as per police sources, the investigation team will most likely finish recording the statements of the 21 Para Special Forces soldiers this week.
The SIT has been expanded from eight to 22 members, including five Indian Police Service officers, in order to expedite the probe, police sources were quoted as saying.
On 4 December, a vehicle carrying eight coal miners in Nagaland’s Oting village was ambushed by the Army’s elite 21 Para Special Forces, who were engaged in a counter-insurgency mission. Six people were gunned down. Their deaths were later regretted as a case of 'mistaken identity' by the army.
Court of Inquiry Team Reaches Ground Zero
Meanwhile, the Court of Inquiry, which was constituted by the Indian Army to investigate the killings, visited the site at Oting village on Wednesday, 29 December.
The inquiry team headed by a senior rank officer – a Major General – inspected the site to understand the circumstances that led to the incident, the army said in a statement.
Further, witnesses were questioned by the team for better understanding of the situation.
A statement issued by the Indian Army added that the team had also visited the Tizit Police Station in Mon on Wednesday afternoon to meet a cross-section of people, including civilians, police personnel, and doctors who treated the injured, "for obtaining valuable information pertaining to the incident," EastMojo reported.
Read The Quint’s ground report here.
(With inputs from NDTV and EastMojo.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)