DIMAPUR, Jan 7 � The Nagaland government has announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the families of the nine deceased whose decomposed bodies were recovered at Chumukedima near here on January 4.
Informing this, State Chief Secretary Alemteshi Jamir today said the decision was taken purely on humanitarian ground without any prejudice to the ongoing police investigation into the crime.
The Nagaland Cabinet also endorsed the appointment of a High Power Inquiry Committee and Special Investigation Team to probe the killings and said that the case should be pursued with all urgency and earnestness to bring the culprits to book.
The Cabinet further made an appeal to both Karbi and Rengma people to refrain from any further violence and maintain peace and calm in the spirit of age old fraternal relationship among the people of the two communities.
Meanwhile, the combined Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of Nagaland government resolved that the State government shall take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of all communities, especially the bona fide minorities, including the Karbis living in the State.
A joint press communique by Co-Convenor of PAC Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and Secretary (Home) Wepretso Mero strongly condemned the barbaric killing of the nine persons. It appreciated the prompt action of the State government in setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and High Power Inquiry Committee (HPIC) to investigate the killings and appealed to one and all to �allow the law enforcing agencies to take actions at the earliest� to bring the culprits to book.
The combined PAC, which held a meeting in the State Banquet Hall, Kohima, also appealed to the Karbis and Rengma brothers, who have been cohesive neighbours since time immemorial, to exercise restraint and desist from further escalating the situation and help bring back the age-old fraternal relationship.
Meanwhile, the Karbi Anglong Peace Forum reaffirmed its commitment to pursue peace at all costs and urged student bodies and other organizations both in Karbi Anglong and in Nagaland to refrain from engaging in any activity, including issuing provoking press statements, enforcing strikes, or any disruptive programmes, that will obstruct the peace initiatives.
This was communicated in a statement by a delegation of KAPF who were in Dimapur to assist family members to help identify the bodies of the remaining four bodies at the Dimapur District Civil Hospital. All the nine killed have now been claimed by the families from Karbi Anglong.
