Nagaland blast suspected to have originated from parked auto-rickshaw; one Assam Rifles jawan killed

DGP says probe underway as CM Rio condemns attack; incident comes a week after deadly Manipur ambush

Dimapur, July 13: The improvised explosive device (IED) blast that killed an Assam Rifles jawan and injured four others in Nagaland’s Chümoukedima district on Monday is suspected to have originated from a parked auto-rickshaw, Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said.

Speaking to reporters, Sharma said preliminary investigations suggest the explosive device had been placed inside an autorickshaw parked along the roadside near Khopanala, close to Sukhovi, where the Assam Rifles has a training centre.

The blast occurred while an Assam Rifles convoy was passing through the area. The deceased has been identified as Havaldar Mohd Iqbal of 28 Assam Rifles (ARTC&S), while four other personnel sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The Assam Rifles paid tribute to Havaldar Mohd Iqbal, describing him as a “braveheart” who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. In a statement, Director General Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and all ranks of the Assam Rifles expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family and said the force stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.

Security forces have launched an extensive search operation in and around the blast site as investigators work to identify those behind the attack.

The explosion has drawn strong condemnation from Nagaland’s political leadership.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio described the blast as a “cowardly act” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

“The bomb blast at Chümoukedima is a cowardly act that has no place in our society. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. Those responsible will be identified and brought to justice. We will not allow such acts to threaten the peace and security of our people,” Rio said in a post on X.

Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang said such violence was alien to Nagaland’s peaceful society.

“Such acts of violence are unheard of in Nagaland and have no place in our peaceful society. Attempts to spread fear and destabilise the state must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he said, urging law enforcement agencies to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible.

Rajya Sabha MP S. Phangnon Konyak also condemned the attack, saying peace and the rule of law must prevail and expressing solidarity with the victims and their families.

The incident assumes significance as it is the second deadly attack on Assam Rifles personnel in the Northeast within a week. On July 6, two Assam Rifles personnel were killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen in Manipur’s Ukhrul district, highlighting continuing security challenges in parts of the region despite an overall improvement in the law and order situation.

While Nagaland has remained largely peaceful in recent years, Monday’s blast has raised fresh concerns over security in the state.

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