Nagaland police registered a case against a couple, who brandished automatic assault rifles during their marriage ceremony at Dimapur town on Saturday evening.
Nagaland home commissioner, Abhijit Sinha told DH on Tuesday that a suo-motu case (92/2019) was registered under sections of Arms Act against the duo at Diphupar police station in Dimapur district.
This comes after video and photographs of the incident went viral on social media. Sinha, however, did not disclose the names of the accused.
Sources said the accused were the son and daughter-in-law of Bohoto Kiba, the 'Ato Kilonser' (home minister) of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Unification) or NSCN (U), a rebel group, which is in ceasefire and is in talks with the Centre. The NSCN (U) is a breakaway faction of NSCN (IM), the oldest Naga rebel group, which does not consider Nagas to be part of India.
The photographs and the video of the incident, which went viral in social media, showed the groom in a black suit. wielding an AK-56 rifle while the bride in white gown pointed an US-made M16 assault rifle at the guests, who were invited for the reception ceremony at a Dimapur.
The video showed many rushing to the newly-wed couple standing on a raised platform and clicking photographs and video on their mobile phones. "Once more," one of them shouted, as the couple posed with the weapons, their fingers on the triggers.
Sources said the case was registered after the state government asked police to take legal action against the duo. "We can't disclose details of the sensitive case," Bokoto Sumi, the officer-in-charge of Diphupar police station told DH over phone, when asked about the names of the accused and the action taken so far into the case.
Commissioner of police, Dimapur, L Jamir did not respond to calls and text messages seeking updates in the case.
Sources said police was reluctant to share details as Kiba was a "powerful" man. He had earlier threatened to gun down journalists for using "self-style" before his name.
The NSCN (U) is part of Naga National People's Group, a conglomeration of seven rebel groups, which are also likely to sign the final agreement with the Centre, along with NSCN (IM), to end the decades-old Naga conflict.
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