3 months after deadly attack on Indian army, NSCN(K) likely to be put on government's ban list

NEW DELHI: After dithering for nearly three months, the Centre could finally ban the NSCN (Khaplang) as an unlawful organisation after taking up the home ministry proposal regarding the same at a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, signalling a tough approach against NSCN(K).

The proposal is likely to be taken up by the Cabinet, soon after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last week declared rewards of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 7 lakh, respectively, on NSCN(K) military commander Niki Sumi and chief SS Khaplang for their involvement in planning the ambush on the 6 Dogra Army convoy on June 4 in Manipur that left 18 Army personnel dead.

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The ministry said the outfit had unilaterally abrogated the ceasefire with the Centre and conducted the attack on Army on June 4. The Centre also blamed the NSCN(K) for an ambush on the Assam Rifles in May that left eight security personnel dead. The NIA would be able to freeze the assets and properties of NSCN(K) leaders in India under the ongoing investigation in Manipur ambush case once the organisation is banned.

Intelligence agencies have estimated that NSCN(K) has over 800 cadres and sophisticated weapons. Government sources said Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, besides border-guarding forces like BSF, CRPF and intelligence agencies, have backed the ban, saying the outfit has a larger aim for separating Nagaland from India and has established camps in Myanmar to conduct such secessionist activities and recruit cadre for extortion and carrying out terrorist attacks on Indian forces.

NSCN(K) has lately opened channels to anti-India forces in other countries to get arms and joined hands with other insurgent outfits like ULFA and a conglomerate of six Meitei underground outfits of Manipur that was formed in April in Myanmar, agency sources said. This alliance, India suspects, was backed by the Chinese.

The ban proposal was put on the backburner amidst the Centre signing a framework deal with NSCN(I-M) and Naga outfits pressing for NSCN(K) to be involved in the talks.