GUWAHATI
Extremist groups in the northeast have been known to be the judge, jury and executioner of their own members and those of their rivals.
A local court in Arunachal Pradesh may have set a precedent by sentencing to life four members of a faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) for killing a member of a rival outfit more than five years ago.
On June 10, the district and sessions court in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap found four members of the NSCN (Khaplang) group guilty of gunning down Tailai Wangpan, a member of the NSCN (Unification) in front of his wife.
The four had barged into the house in Tirap district’s Pumao village where Wangpan and his wife intended to spend a night after attending a local festival. His killing was said to be an outcome of inter-factional rivalry.
During the trial, Wangpan’s wife had identified three members of the NSCN (K) who had pumped a volley of bullets into her husband. They were self-styled second lieutenant Nahbi Wangsu and self-styled privates Palai Wangpan and Wangthuak Wangsu.
The court also prescribed life sentence for Bopa Wangnow, the self-styled lieutenant colonel who had ordered the hit on the NSCN (U) member.
