Dimapur, Dec 13: A week after the tragic death of 14 youths in Nagaland’s Mon District in firing by Army personnel, the family members and the villagers have decided not to receive any Government compensation or ex-gratia until the Army jawan involved in last week’s firing are brought to justice and the controversial AFSPA is removed.

This decision was taken on Sunday by the family members and the villagers of Oting village in Mon district and the village council, which was informed through a press statement. Out of the 14 dead, 12 are from Oting village.

“The Village Council Oting do hereby clarify the statement written in the photo circulating in the social media. It was on 5th December 2021 (Sunday), when we the people of Oting were busy facing and struggling with the crucial period of time with Post Mortem, Konyak Union Meeting, Funeral arrangement, receiving guest etc. This envelope containing an amount of Rs. 18,30,000/- (Eighteen Lakhs Thirty Thousand only) was brought before the Village Council by our Minister and Deputy Commissioner Mon. The Village Council Oting assume as a token of love and gift from the Honourable Minister Shri. Paiwang Konyak,” the Oting village council said in a press statement.

“But after knowing the fact that it was an advance payment or installment of an ex-gratia from the State Government for the victim’s family and the injured person, the Village Council Oting and victim family will not receive until and unless the culprit of 21st Para Commandos of the Indian Armed Force are brought to justice before the Civil code of law and repealed Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the entire North Eastern region of India” the statement signed by Longwang Konyak, the Chairman of the Oting Village Council added.

The Nagaland government has granted an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the 14 people killed in firing by security forces in Mon district. Rs 50,000 ex-gratia was given to the injured persons.