A partial view of Kohima town. Photo by Vishu Rita Krocha
Morung Express News
Kohima | March 4
“Everything failed. The government failed and civil society too failed on its part. When the whole society loses confidence in anything they can rely on, they seek for justice in any way they know how,” says Neingulo Krome, recalling the infamous March 5 incident in 2015. When Nagaland was put in an uncomfortable spotlight in 2015, the human rights activist recollects how he was reminded of the other March 5 of 1995.
The tragedy which occurred on March 5, 20 years ago failed to hit the world headlines. Six civilians including two minors in Kohima were killed while 26 civilians were seriously injured by the 16 Rashtriya Rifles (16 RR).
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon for residents of Kohima town when the 16 Rashtriya Rifles were passing through with 50 vehicles and heavily armed personnel. While crossing Hotel Japfü, the tyres of one of the leading vehicles burst which led the soldiers to fire indiscriminately, suspecting the burst to be an ambush, in the whole stretch of Kohima town from BOC area till TCP Gate.
Vandanshan Patton Lotha, Additional Director, Labour and Employment Department, who lost his three and half years old daughter Soyingbeni (Soso) can never forget that tragic day.
He along with his family had gone to Church and later visited his brother-in-law. While returning home (Forest Colony) around 12:45 noon, the family heard gunshots.
“It was more of a usual thing back in those days. We didn’t bother that much. We could hear five or six explosions and I could make it out that one could be a grenade. I thought it was some police on patrol. Suddenly, something told me the bomb was going to come straight in our house. The children came out along with my mother and my wife. It was so sudden that I could not stop them,” narrated Lotha.
A 52 mm mortar shell struck where the family was standing. Soyingbeni died from the many splinter injuries while the rest of the family sustained shrapnel and splinter injuries.
His second daughter who is now 28 years old remains half paraplegic and could not continue her studies after matriculation.
Vandanshan’s mother who is now 82 years was also seriously injured and doctors told her she would not survive unless her right leg is amputated. However, she was miraculously saved after undergoing operation/surgery by Dr. R Kikon.
Medokhul Sophie, former MLA, a victim of March 5 1995 who was then running a computer institute (present Holiday Inn) at BOC area, started hearing gunshots, first at BOC area and then from Mohonkhola and Lerie. “We ultimately had to hide and some even under the bed. However 16 RR Jawans entered the houses and ordered everyone to line up in the National Highway,” states Sophie.
He was shot in the right thigh when they were all made to line up while the Jawans started shooting at their directions. “Because we were all so shocked that I didn’t know I was shot,” recalls Sophie.
Subsequently, Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) conducted a fact finding in Kohima and filed a writ petition to the Supreme Court of India. The team met a labourer, Sialal one of the eye witnesses who saw the bursting of tyres of one of the leading trucks and who also saw the Jawans jumping down from their vehicles and shooting towards Japfü Hotel. Sialal too was hit by a bullet fired at by the armed personnel.
The petition by NPMHR and PUCL also mentioned how army personnel also forcibly entered houses, threatened and shot people. (The names of the deceased are Soyingbeni, Achunle (8 years old), Tengpangnokcha, Pandhi Sharma and two unknown persons who died on the spot.)The petition also stated that some Jawans entered the Hospital and cut off the electricity within the hospital and threatened not to put on the generator, compelling Doctors to carry operations with the help of candle lamps and torch lights.
The writ petition states, “the indiscriminate firing by the personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles were unprovoked and were panic reaction to the bursting of tyres…..the petitioners did not come across any evidence of any cross firing except the indiscriminate firing by the army personnel of the RR. However, the most deplorable part of the whole incident was the deliberate acts of harassment and shooting by the army personnel for about an hour in presence of their commanding officer who allowed the same to happen.”
On March 28, NPMHR held a procession at Jantar Mantar, Delhi with PUCL and supported by several civil society organizations in Delhi. On the other hand, an inquiry committee was also set up headed by Justice D M Sen. Vandanshan meanwhile was running around for compensation for the families of the deceased. “There was some carelessness on the part of the government where compensation which was to be given to the deceased and the injured was not released. I was running around, but they did not listen to me so I was compelled to take them to Court. Guwahati High court imposed Rs. 5000 fine to the Government of Nagaland for their carelessness,” states Vandanshan.
He said the families of the deceased were given a compensation of two lakhs which they received only after three years.
Vandanshan further mentions that the Justice DM Sen Inquiry Commission gave recommendations for the disbandment of the 16 RR and to give all officers forced retirement. “Since then we have not heard of 16 RR. So, we consider it is done,” concludes Vandanshan. No further information has been found on the 16 RR.
