Guwahati: The Centre on Tuesday handed over the probe into the July 13 explosion at Khopanala in Nagaland’s Chümoukedima district, which killed an Assam Rifles havildar and injured four other personnel, to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).The suspected improvised explosive device (IED), believed to have been concealed in an autorickshaw parked along the road, exploded as an Assam Rifles convoy passed through the area.In a statement, Nagaland Police said the Union home ministry, in a communication dated on July 27 (Monday), had directed the NIA to take over the case registered at Chümoukedima police station, citing the gravity of the offence and its implications for national security.The Centre said the case involved a scheduled offence under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. Exercising its powers under Section 6(5), read with Section 8 of the Act, it directed the counter-terrorism agency to assume charge of the investigation.The Nagaland govt and state police will coordinate with the NIA to complete the legal formalities for transferring the case, the statement said.The blast took place when an AR convoy was travelling between the force’s training facilities in the area. Subsequently, security agencies had launched a massive search operation.Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio, too, had condemned the explosion as a “cowardly act” and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.The attack was among the most serious targeting security forces in Nagaland in recent years. It came a week after an ambush in neighbouring Manipur killed two Assam Rifles personnel. No group has claimed responsibility for the Khopanala explosion so far.
