The Indian Army, on 30 April, took into its custody a member of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Khaplang (NSCN-K). Security forces apprehended the person near Ledo in Assam’s Tinsukia district during a joint operation by the Army and the Assam police.
Lt Col P Khongsai said in a statement that the person was caught in an operation by the joint team after receiving a specific input. According to the statement, the detained individual has been identified as Shante Limbu, son of Dor Bahadur Limbu. He is a resident of Phulbari, Jagun. A .22 pistol and live ammunition was also seized during the operation. The detained individual has been handed over to Tinsuika Police Station for further investigation, along with the weapon and ammunition.
The NSCN-K is a separatist Christian organisation that espouses Naga nationalism and has been active since the 1980s. Their main objective is to establish a separate and sovereign Naga state called “Nagalim”, comprising areas of north-east India and north-west Myanmar. The group is involved in militant operations in Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar’s Sagaing region. In November of 2015, the Indian government had designated the NSCN-K as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.