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Nagaland CM escapes assassination by hair's breadth

Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir today miraculously escaped an attempt on his life when suspected militants blew up three vehicles of his convoy and killed two policemen near Pherema, about 45 kilometres from Kohima. Official sources said the extremists laid a booby trap over a stretch of 150 metres on National Highway 39 between Piphema and Pherema by planting at least 14 improvised explosive devices.

The sources said the extremists detonated the IEDs one after the other as Jamir's convoy approached the area. Jamir was coming to Kohima from Dimapur. Jamir, who escaped unhurt, was immediately taken to a security force camp from where he was flown back to Kohima by helicopter. The sources said a civilian truck coming from the opposite direction rammed into a vehicle of Jamir's convoy under the impact of the explosion injuring two people. Two more vehicles including that of Jamir were badly damaged in the explosion.

The extremists who were hiding on both sides of the road opened fire as the policemen jumped out of the vehicles. Two policemen were killed on the spot. The militants also decamped with an AK-47 assault rifle and a light machine gun. Senior police and army officials rushed to the spot and a massive combing operation has been launched to apprehend the culprits.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani today expressed concern in the Lok Sabha over the attempt on Jamir's life. The matter was raised in the House by K A Sangtam (Congress). Advani said the government shared his concern over the attack. Sangtam urged the government to step up security for Jamir. The entire civilian population in the northeast, particularly of Nagaland, was under threat by the extremists and the situation was very bad in the region, he added. His party colleague Rajesh Pilot asked the government to apprise the House of the details of the talks being conducted with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaac-Muivah).

UNI

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