Investigation of firing incident completed on Monday: Army Chief General Manoj Pande

New Delhi: Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Monday said that the investigation into the December 4 firing incident in Nagaland’s Moon district has been completed and the report is now undergoing legal scrutiny.
In an interview with a group of journalists, he also suggested that standard operating procedures and exercises could be improved based on the report’s findings.
A counter-insurgency operation in the village of Oting in Nagaland’s Moon district has killed 14 civilians and sparked widespread protests in the state.
The military had ordered a high-level investigation into the incident. The investigation team was headed by Major General.
An investigation into Monday’s incident has been completed. The report has been submitted and is currently under legal scrutiny, “said General Pandey.
“As in the past, if we find some personnel who do not follow the standard operating procedures and guidelines, action will be taken in accordance with military law,” he said.
The Army Chief pointed out that the report highlights aspects such as reviewing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and improving exercises.
“It’s all part of the report,” he said when asked if the military was changing any SOPs.
General Pandey advised that the process of rectifying the shortcomings would be based on the findings of the report.
“Some of it has already happened,” he said.
In addition to the Army’s Court of Inquiry, the state government has appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident.
The military called the incident “extremely tragic.”