https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=1995_Kohima_Massacre1995 Kohima Massacre - Revision history2026-07-31T12:21:04ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=1995_Kohima_Massacre&diff=482026&oldid=prevAshok Hathrasi at 06:30, 27 April 20262026-04-27T06:30:57Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1995 massacre in Nagaland, India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}<br />
{{Infobox civilian attack<br />
| title = 1995 Kohima Massacre<br />
| partof = [[Naga conflict]]<br />
| location = [[Kohima]], [[Nagaland]]<br />
| coordinates = <br />
| date = 5 March 1995<br />
| image = <br />
| caption = <br />
| time = 1:30–3:30{{nbsp}}p.m. ([[Indian Standard Time|IST]])<br />
| target = Civilians<br />
| type = [[Massacre]]<br />
| fatalities = 7<br />
| injuries = 36<br />
| perps = 16th [[Rashtriya Rifles]]<br />
}}<br />
The '''1995 Kohima Massacre''' took place in India on 5 March 1995, when forces of the 16th [[Rashtriya Rifles]] of the [[Indian Army]] fired upon the civilian populace while the convoy was traversing through [[Kohima]], the capital city of Nagaland.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Naleo|first=Villo|url=https://easternmirrornagaland.com/remembering-truthfully-and-forgiving-generously/|title=Nagaland: Remembering Truthfully and Forgiving Generously|date=23 August 2016|website=[[Eastern Mirror]]|access-date=5 December 2021}}<br>- {{Cite web|url=https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/nagaland/timeline/1995.htm|title=Nagaland Timeline - Year 1995|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal|access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Basu|first=Sayak|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/election/history-of-separatism-in-the-conflicted-northeastern-state-of-nagaland-1195265.html|title=History of separatism in the conflicted northeastern state of Nagaland|date=26 February 2023|website=[[Deccan Herald]]|access-date=22 March 2023}}</ref><br />
<br />
The incident was sparked by a tyre burst from one of the convoy's own vehicle leading the armed troops to fire at civilians after mistaking the sound of the tyre bursting for a bomb attack.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bora|first=Aniruddha|url=https://gaurilankeshnews.com/afspa-the-tale-of-agony-in-nagaland/|title=AFSPA – The tale of Agony in Nagaland|date=6 July 2020|website=[[Gauri Lankesh News]]|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Incident ==<br />
On 5 March 1995, a convoy of the 16th Rastriya Rifles (RR) was traversing through Kohima on its way from [[Bishnupur, Manipur]], to [[Dimapur]], Nagaland.<br />
<br />
The heavily armed convoy which stretched over {{convert|5|km}} had 63 vehicles with five officers, 15 JCOs and 400 privates. As the convoy was crossing the AOC and BOC area which is a thickly populated part of Kohima, a tyre on one of the convoy's truck [[Blowout (tire)|burst]] which led the army personnel to react immediately. Unaware that the tyre burst was one of their own, the armed troops started firing at the civilian populace. The fired included 1,207 rounds of gunfire and five rounds of mortar fire. The firing continued from 1:30{{nbsp}}p.m. until after 3:30{{nbsp}}p.m. Seven civilians were killed and 36 were injured.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tsükrü Kense |first=Atono |date=4 March 2022 |title=When Bloody Sunday came to Kohima: Memories of March 5, 1995 |url=https://www.morungexpress.com/when-bloody-sunday-came-to-kohima-memories-of-march-5-1995#google_vignette |access-date=21 December 2025 |work=[[The Morung Express]]}}</ref><br />
<br />
The RR personnel also deliberately attacked property, damaging buildings and houses. They then prevented the injured from being treated.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}<br />
<br />
== Legacy ==<br />
In 2022, TakeOne Nagaland produced a short documentary under its series ''Lest We Forget'', documenting the fear and trauma arising from the incident.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkGEOFSPyl8 |title=lest we forget - march 5, 1995 |date=2022-03-04 |last=TakeOne Nagaland |access-date=2025-12-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref><br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
* [[List of massacres in Nagaland]]<br />
* [[List of massacres in India]]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [https://youtube.com/watch?v=qkGEOFSPyl8 lest we forget - 5 March 1995] A short documentary based on the incident on ''[[YouTube]]''<br />
<br />
{{coord missing|Nagaland}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Kohima]]<br />
[[Category:1995 in Nagaland]]<br />
[[Category:1990s in Nagaland]]<br />
[[Category:Massacres in 1995]]<br />
[[Category:1995 murders in India]]<br />
[[Category:Massacres in Nagaland]]<br />
[[Category:1995 mass murders]]<br />
[[Category:March 1995 in India]]<br />
[[Category:Massacres in India]]<br />
[[Category:1995 in India]]</div>Ashok Hathrasi