Staff Reporter
KHONSA, 13 Nov: In a landmark verdict delivered on Tuesday, the sessions court here in Tirap district sentenced NSCN (R) militant Roksen alias Rocksand Homchha to life imprisonment for the cold-blooded murder of a security constable during a daring jailbreak at the sub-jail here in March 2023.
The high-profile case, which exposed lapses in jail security, also resulted in conviction of two police personnel on the charge of negligence.
Homchha, a self-styled sergeant in the insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Reformation), was found guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 392 (robbery), and 224 (resistance or escape from lawful custody) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court imposed a life term with Rs 10,000 fine for the murder charge, alongside five years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine for robbery, and one year of simple imprisonment with Rs 1,000 fine for the jailbreak. All sentences will run concurrently.
The shocking incident unfolded on 26 March, 2023, when Homchha and his co-accused, Titpu Kitnya Kitnal, orchestrated a violent escape from the sub-jail here. According to the first information report (FIR) filed by Sub-Inspector Noren Siang, the in-charge of the facility, the duo overpowered sentry Constable Wangniam Bosai of the 1st India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) posted at Khonsa.
They snatched his service AK-47 rifle and shot him dead on the spot. Homchha then fired indiscriminately within the jail premises, shattered the main gate lock, and fled with Kitnal, vanishing into the dense forests with the weapon.
The brazen attack prompted immediate registration of a case under Sections 223/224/392/302/34 of the IPC, read with provisions of the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, at the Khonsa police station. A massive day-and-night search operation was launched under the supervision of the then Tirap Superintendent of Police (SP) Kardak Riba (now West Siang SP).
Within a week, Homchha was apprehended from the Bogapani jungle area near an abandoned timber mill. Police recovered the stolen AK-47 rifle along with 17 live rounds, solidifying the evidence against him. Investigations established that the escape and murder were executed in furtherance of a common intention between Homchha and Kitnal, who remains at large.
The probe also uncovered critical security failures. Head Constable Man Mohan Prasad and Constable Matkhon Hakhun of the 1st IRBn were held accountable for breaching standard operating procedures. Their delayed response during the chaos allegedly allowed the accused to flee unimpeded. The court convicted both under Section 223 IPC (escape of a prisoner due to public servant’s omission), sentencing each to one year of simple imprisonment and Rs 2,000 fine.
The comprehensive investigation was led by then investigation officer (IO) Lower Sub-Inspector Wiphang Pokna, now the lower inspector and officer-in-charge at the women police station in East Kameng HQ Seppa, under SP Riba’s oversight. A chargesheet was duly submitted to the court following the inquiry.
This conviction marks a significant victory for law enforcement in Tirap – a district plagued by insurgent activities along the India-Myanmar border. Legal experts hailed the verdict as a deterrent against custodial violence and a reminder of the need for stringent jail protocols.
Homchha’s affiliation with the NSCN (R), a banned outfit under the UA (P) Act, underscores the ongoing challenges posed by militancy in Northeast India.
The court has directed immediate enforcement of the sentences, with appeals possible in higher courts.
Family members of the slain constable have expressed relief, calling for justice to prevent future tragedies.
