The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the ban on the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) by notifying it as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Naga insurgent group, since it was first banned in 2015, has been involved in 104 violent incidents, resulting in the death of seven security personnel and six civilians, and abduction of 75 civilians, the MHA said in a notification issued on Monday.
The insurgent group had in 2015 abrogated the ceasefire agreement with the Centre and carried out a string of attacks, including killing 18 soldiers in an ambush in Manipur the same year.
The outfit was declared as an unlawful association under section 3(1) of the UAPA.
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“The Central Government is of the opinion that the NSCN (K), is continuously aiming to create a sovereign Nagaland incorporating the Naga inhabited areas of Indo-Myanmar region by secession from the Indian Union; engaging in unlawful and violent activities thereby undermining the authority of the Government of India and the Governments of Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and spreading terror and panic among the people,” the MHA notification said.
With other groups
The Ministry said the outfit was aligning itself with other unlawful associations like the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Meitei organisations of Manipur.
The NSCN-K was formed by S.S. Khaplang, who died in June 2017 in a hospital in Myanmar’s Yangon after a prolonged illness. The outfit operates from Myanmar and after Khaplang’s death has seen multiple splits.
The MHA added that the NSCN-K is indulging in kidnapping for ransom and extortion of money from businessmen, government officials and other civilians and is recruiting cadres “to continue its terrorist activities.”
NSCN-K is establishing camps and hideouts across the international borders and obtaining assistance from anti-India forces in other countries to procure arms and other assistance, MHA said.
“The Central Government is also of the opinion that if there is no immediate curb and control of unlawful activities of the NSCN (K), the organisation may make fresh recruitments, indulge in violent, terrorist and secessionist activities, collect funds and endanger the lives of innocent citizens and security forces personnel; and therefore, circumstances do exist which render it necessary to declare the NSCN (K) as an unlawful association with immediate effect,” the notification said.
