GUWAHATI, June 9 - NSCN-K chief SS Khaplang passed away in an undisclosed location in Myanmar this evening. However, official confirmation is still awaited.
Sources in Nagaland said that Khaplang was a diabetic and he died of a stroke. When contacted, Additional Director General of Assam Police (SB) Pallav Bhattacharya said he too has received such inputs from his Nagaland counterpart.
The NSCN-K leader was keeping unwell for some time, said Intelligence Bureau sources. His funeral is likely to take place tomorrow in Myanmar itself.
The ageing Khaplang had been the most influential living Northeast rebel leader who did not choose to come overground and was spearheading the joint forum of the regional extremist group christened as the United Liberation Front of Western Southeast Asia of which ULFA and NDFB are also a part.
In 1998, the NSCN-K under the leadership of Khaplang was formed after it broke away from NSCN(I-M).
Senior journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya, who met Khaplang a few years ago in Myanmar, said, �I found Khaplang to be an extremely nice human being and a terrific host. He was the godfather of the Nagas in upper Saging Division.�
