NSCN-IM says six were 'detained' for drugs trade, duping people, rejects Assam Rifles claim of abduction

Rejecting Assam Rifles' claim about the rescue of six persons abducted by the NSCN-IM, the outfit said that they were "detained" for spreading illicit drugs and duping innocent people in Nagaland.

"They were detained considering the rampant growth of drug users among young Naga people between the age of 15 to 25. The second group of people that were detained are frequent monetary fraudsters and duping people using fake land patta and buildings," the NSCN-IM said in a statement on Saturday evening.

The outfit claimed that some of those "detained" were found in possession of banned psychotropic and narcotic drugs.

On Friday, the Assam Rifles stated that they rescued the six persons from the clutches of the NSCN-IM persons in Dimapur. They were abducted between April 13 and 27 by the NSCN-IM and their family members were contacted for ransom, the Assam Rifles said. One of the abducted persons is a school teacher from Nagaland while the four others are from Nagaland, Assam and Bihar. At least five NSCN-IM cadres were arrested by the Assam Rifles.

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"The NSCN/GPRN will continue to hunt for any anti-social element such as suppliers of drugs and other harmful chemicals which are trying to uproot young Naga generation of their career and life and any elements trying to sabotage the unblemished and noble cause is questionable and unacceptable."
The NSCN/GPRN also appeals to law enforcing agencies including Assam Rifles to nab inter-state drug traffickers and bring them before the law if they really wanted to rescue people rather than focusing only on rescuing drug peddlers, fraudsters and criminals, it said.

The NSCN-IM has been in ceasefire with the government since 1997 and their leaders and cadres are lodged in designated camps near Dimapur. Leaders of the outfit are engaged in talks with the government for a "final solution" to end the seven-decades-old Naga conflict. But the same has remained stuck in the outfit's demand for recognition of a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas.

Assam Rifles and other security agencies, however, have often alleged that although the NSCN-IM is in talks with the government, they are engaged in unlawful activities like abduction and extortion.