Kohima, July 28 — The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has handed over the investigation into the July 13 explosion in Nagaland, in which an Assam Rifles Havildar was killed and four other personnel were critically injured, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officials said on Tuesday.

A senior Nagaland Police official said that the MHA, in a letter issued on July 27, told the state government that it has entrusted the investigation of the explosion case, registered at Chümoukedima Police Station, to the NIA.

The case pertains to the blast that occurred at Khopanala under Chumoukedima village on July 13, resulting in the death of an Assam Rifles Havildar and critical injuries to four other personnel.

An official statement issued by the Nagaland Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said that the Central government taking the opinion that a scheduled offence under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, has been committed in the case immediately, and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 6 (5) read with Section 8 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, has directed the NIA to take over the investigation of the case, having regard to the gravity of the offence and its national security implications.

The Nagaland government and the Police will be coordinating with NIA for the handing over the process as required by law, the statement said.

Four days after a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Nagaland claimed the life of an Assam Rifles Havildar and critically injured four other personnel, the Nagaland Police on July 17 announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for credible information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for the powerful IED blast.

In a public notice, Commissioner of Police Aotula T. Imchen said that the Dimapur Police Commissionerate is conducting an intensive investigation into the July 13 blast in Chumoukedima district to identify and apprehend all those involved in planning, facilitating, executing or aiding what the police described as a "heinous terrorist act".

"The reward will be given for information leading to the identification or arrest of the perpetrators or their associates, identification of persons involved in planning, financing, harbouring, transporting or facilitating the offence, recovery of explosives, explosive components, weapons, communication devices, vehicles or any other incriminating material connected with the case, and discovery of any hideout, safe house or logistical support network linked to the offenders," the notice said.

Meanwhile, in the July 13 IED blast, Havildar Mohammad Iqbal of the 28 Assam Rifles Battalion was killed, while four other Assam Rifles personnel sustained serious injuries.

The slain Havildar hailed from Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

Officials in Kohima had earlier said that the powerful IED exploded on July 13 after striking a vehicle that was part of an Assam Rifles convoy near Sukhovi in Chumoukedima district.

The explosion, which occurred near the Assam Rifles Training Centre, also injured a civilian after he was struck on the leg by flying debris.

An auto-rickshaw parked nearby was extensively damaged in the blast, a police official said.

Meanwhile, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) strongly condemned the IED blast near Sukhovi, describing it as a "cowardly terrorist act" aimed at disrupting peace in the region.

In a statement, the dominant Naga insurgent group had said the use of IEDs and anti-personnel mines could not be justified, warning that such attacks endanger civilian lives, spread fear among the public and undermine the peace that people of the region have worked hard to preserve.

Distancing itself from the attack, the NSCN-IM said it would seek to establish the facts behind the incident and identify those responsible.

The July 13 IED blast in Nagaland came just eight days after two Assam Rifles personnel were killed when suspected Naga armed militants ambushed an Assam Rifles vehicle at Nungshang Kong along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in neighbouring Manipur's violence-hit Ukhrul district on July 6.

The two slain personnel were Warrant Officer Balwant Singh and Havildar Chandra Mohan Singh.

The deadly ambush triggered widespread condemnation from various quarters, while massive joint operations by Central and Manipur security forces are continuing to trace those responsible for the attack.

The NSCN-IM had also denied any involvement in the Manipur ambush, asserting that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement signed with the Central government and to the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process.

In a statement issued after the July 6 attack, the NSCN-IM said that it was neither involved in nor had prior knowledge of the incident.

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