Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Kohima: A suspected Improvised Explosive Device blast killed an Assam Rifles soldier and injured five others in Nagaland on Monday. The attack occurred near Shokhuvi in the Chümoukedima district. Havildar Mohd Iqbal of the 28 Assam Rifles died in the strike. He was a native of Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, and had served since 2003.
The explosion hit a pickup truck around 2:00 p.m. The convoy was moving toward Dimapur near the Assam Rifles Training Centre and School. A parked autorickshaw contained the device. The blast completely mangled the vehicle. Debris flew everywhere.
Five survivors were rushed to the CIHSR hospital. One soldier remains in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition. A local civilian also suffered a leg injury from flying shrapnel.
National Investigation Agency officials, Army personnel, and Nagaland Police cordoned off the scene immediately. Forensic teams combed the wreckage for evidence. No group has claimed responsibility. This marks the second attack on the force in the Northeast this month, following a July 6 ambush in Manipur that left two dead.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio condemned the violence. He stated, "The bomb blast at Chümoukedima is a cowardly act that has no place in our society." Other officials, including Governor Nand Kishore Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton, and various civil bodies, also denounced the attack. The NSCN-IM denied involvement and called the incident a terrorist act.
Security forces have ramped up patrols. They set up checkpoints across critical junctions. Additional columns of the Assam Rifles and state police are currently tracking those responsible. A wreath-laying ceremony for Havildar Iqbal is planned for Tuesday at the Shokhuvi training center.
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