NSCN (IM) soldiers captured 31 AR troops in Ntangki national Park

GUWAHATI: Tension flared in Nagaland’s Natangki National Park on Friday evening after an encounter between Assam Rifles troops and a group of NSCN (IM) cadres.

The Assam Rifles team was on patrol for 72 to 96 hours in connection with the Republic Day celebrations and took a break at the National Park at around 4 pm on Friday.
During this interval the team observed NSCN(IM) cadres on the same route, which led to an encounter.
Located at a distance of 40 km from Peren and about 37 km from Dimapur in Nagaland, Ntangki National Park is also known as Intanki by many people.

Spread over an area of ​​200 square kilometers, this park was established by British administrators in 1923.
NSCN (IM) militants are camping on the forest edge of the National Park as per the ceasefire agreement with the Centre.

Sources said the leader of the Assam Rifles patrol team “decided to withdraw his troops” as per the ceasefire agreement and the incident did not escalate further.
Conversations between the two sides, captured in a purported video, suggested the paramilitary personnel had lost their way inside the park. However, the authenticity of the video is yet to be verified.

The Center and the NSCN (IM) signed a framework agreement in 2015 aimed at finding a mutual solution to Naga political issues, but a final solution is yet to be reached.