Dimapur: Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) strongly condemned the suspected IED blast near the Assam Rifles Training Centre (ARTC) in Shokhuvi, Chumoukedima district, on Monday. The blast killed Havildar Mohd Iqbal of the Assam Rifles and injured four other security personnel.Calling the incident a cowardly and reprehensible act, the NPCC, in a statement issued by its communication department, urged the authorities to carry out a thorough, impartial and time-bound investigation to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.The party appealed to citizens to remain calm, uphold communal harmony and cooperate with investigating agencies.Stating that violence has no place in a democratic and peace-loving society, the NPCC said such incidents endanger lives and threaten the peace and stability the people of Nagaland worked to maintain. It said the blast comes at a time when the state is moving on the path of reconciliation and development, making the incident deeply unfortunate.Reaffirming its commitment to peace, dialogue, democracy and the rule of law, the NPCC said the people of Nagaland consistently rejected violence as a means to resolve differences.The NPCC expressed condolences to the family of Havildar Iqbal and wished a speedy recovery to the injured personnel.
