Both factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) have denied involvement in the attack on a journalist in Kohima Thursday last. An NSCN(Khaplang) leader said in Kohima, "The NSCN(K) gives due respect to the Fourth Estate'' and contended that it had never "committed terrorist acts on innocent people".
Unidentified gunmen shot at two journalists, seriously injuring one, when they were returning from work in Kohima on November 24. Xavier Rutsa, senior correspondent with Nagaland Post, and Ato Liezietsu, president of Kohima Press Club, who were riding back home on a scooter, were accosted by a group of youths on last Thursday evening. When they did not stop, the miscreants fired at them injuring Rutsa in the hips and fled immediately. Rutsa, who also strings for the Times of India, was rushed to the hospital.
The NSCN(K) said, "It would be contradictory on our part to attack the Fourth Estate" and condemned the attack on Rutsa. It went on to blame rival NSCN(Isak-Muivah) for the incident. A Press Trust of India (PTI) report on November 25 had said that the two journalists had been shot at by suspected militants.
The NSCN(IM) reportedly told a local daily that the accusation of the NSCN(K) was baseless. "So far we have some substantive clues but no evidence could be established. Neither have we arrested any person in this regard," an NSCN(IM) leader said.
Journalists in the state capital Kohima organised a silent protest rally at the MLA hostel junction Friday last. The rally was organised by the Kohima Press Club (KPC) protesting the attack on Rutsa, who is undergoing treatment in a private nurshing home.
Later, the KPC members held an emergency meeting and decided to submit a memorandum to the chief minister demanding the arrest of the culprits. They also demanded adequate compensation and security for the victim.
In a seperate meeting, the Press Corps of Nagaland (PCN) expressed concern and shock over the attack. The meeting, presided over by PCN president and Nagaland Post editor Geoffrey Yaden, urged the government to protect the life and property of common citizens of the state.
The chief minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, said the attack on Rutsa was ''unfortunate and unexpected',' and announced that he had ordered the police to arrest the miscreants. Rio assured mediapersons that all possible help would be provided by the government, and said he had issued a special directive to the director of information and public relations (DIPR) on payment of medical bills of Rutsa.
