60-year-old man killed in army firing following 'trouble' in Arunachal village

A man, aged about 60 died and a few others were injured in firing by an army team after trouble allegedly broke out between them and residents at Pumao village in Arunachal Pradesh's Londing district, bordering Myanmar, on Saturday.

A statement issued by the army, however, claimed that they fired in retaliation to firing by suspected NSCN (IM) militants, who were hiding in a house in the village and an operation was launched accordingly to nab them.

"There was a gathering of villagers which started protesting against security forces and resorted to stone pelting. Troops identified suspicious movement and started moving towards a house that drew two to three rounds of firing on Army party. Civilians were told to disperse and to safeguard lives and property and controlled retaliation was resorted to by firing eight single shots. In all this melee, the insurgents managed to escape. However, in the crossfire it is believed few villagers got hurt and one of them expired," said a statement issued by public relations officer (defence) in Guwahati, Lt. Col. P Khongsai.

He said some army jawans were also injured in the melee.

NSCN (IM) is a Nagaland-based insurgent group and has been in a ceasefire with the government since 1997. Longding is one of the districts in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, where there are some hideouts of NSCN (IM) and security forces often carry out an operation against them.

North East Human Rights Organisation (NERO), a human rights body claimed that the army had detained a local youth on suspicion of being a militant a few days ago and had beaten him up yesterday. Accordingly, the villagers had convened a meeting with the representatives of the 19th Sikh Regiment at the village. But the army did not give a clear reply and started moving out of the village and this angered the villagers. Some villagers pelted stones to which army resorted to firing killing the man and injuring others, it alleged. The NERO also lodged a complaint with the NHRC.