GUWAHATI
The Nagaland police have constituted a panel headed by an inspector-general of police to probe the involvement of a police officer and five others in the illegal transportation of service ammunition presumably to violence-hit Manipur, officials said.
On July 10, the State police personnel intercepted a car in the 6th Mile area near Chumoukedima town and recovered about 2,500 different types of ammunition concealed in rice bags.
The police subsequently arrested inspector Michael Yanthan, who was in charge of the police central store in Chumoukedima, four civilians including a woman, and a deputy Kilonser (Minister) of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah).
A police office, seeking anonymity, said preliminary investigation indicated the stolen ammunition was intended to be sold to individuals in adjoining Manipur. Armed groups and vigilantes of both communities have been using firearms reportedly in self-defence.
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But Nagaland’s Director-General of Police, Rupin Sharma told journalists that a conspiracy angle to the stealing of ammunition has not been found yet. “We expect to know more after a high-level committee probes the matter,” he said.
Investigating officers said inspector Yanthan confessed to his crime. He owned up to having been paid ₹4.25 lakh by an unnamed person for about 1,500 rounds of ammunition for self-loading rifles and 1,000 rounds for INSAS rifles.
The arrested woman said the consignments were collected from the NSCN (I-M) leader, who told the police he had bought the ammunition from Yanthan.
The arrested persons are in judicial custody.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed concern over the illegal transportation of ammunition. “The law will take its own course,” he said.
