Yet another case of suspected murder of a local citizen, allegedly by security personnel rocked Tirap district on Tuesday. The locals alleged that 50-year-old Minliam Namnet was allegedly killed by four jawans of the Assam Rifles who were in civilian dress. The angry villagers surrounded the Lazu police station and demanded justice for the deceased. This is not for the first time that such an allegation has surfaced in the troubled districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding (TCL). Often the allegations of torture on citizens by the security forces are reported from these three districts.
However, it is heartening to know that authorities of the Assam Rifles have agreed to cooperate in the investigation. The police should properly investigate and punish the people involved in the heinous act of killing an innocent citizen. The TCL districts are covered under the AFSPA, which gives immense power to the security forces. Using the provision of this act, the security forces sometimes go rogue and indulge in anti-social activities. Such incidents only expand the gap between citizens and security personnel. The underground elements take advantage of such situations and lure the villagers to join them. Therefore, the armed forces operating in the TCL districts should respect human right laws. Only then they will gain the trust of the locals.