Assault on Angami student leader: Assam Rifles jawan apologises, conflict resolved

Guwahati, August 13: The conflict between the Angami Students' Union (ASU) and the Assam Rifles (AR) was amicably resolved following a high-level meeting recently chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Kumar Ramnikant.

Revealing this on Monday, ASU General Secretary Vimeyiekho Vitso stated that during the meeting, the soldier involved in the incident formally apologised, which had been a precondition set by the ASU for further dialogue.

Addressing a press conference at the ASU office in Kohima on August 12, Vitso confirmed that the soldier admitted to the assault, and the AR notified that disciplinary action had been initiated against the jawan.

Vitso also disclosed that the earlier press statement from the Assam Rifles, which termed the incident as “unfortunate”, has now been officially deemed “null and void.”

According to Vitso, the incident, which occurred in a high-security area on August 9, raised concerns about civilian safety in such zones.

He criticised the security forces, stating that “if they cannot ensure the safety of citizens within these areas, they should consider relocating from the heart of the town”.

The incident had led to public outcry, with several civil society organisations condemning the act.

ASU had demanded an apology from the AR jawan and banned the movement of AR personnel within the Angami jurisdiction.

Sunday’s late-night meeting was necessitated as the student body’s 48-hour deadline to the Assam Rifles was nearing an end.

The coordination meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s official residence, included the Inspector General of Assam Rifles (North), Major General Manish Kumar, representatives from the ASU, government officials, and others.

While the resolution of this specific incident has been achieved, Vitso reiterated ASU's support for the Naga Students' Federation’s (NSF) ongoing non-cooperation with the Armed Forces and their opposition to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).