Most literature students early in their academic career used to be told by their teachers about the phrase -- "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly".
Youngsters of my era would laugh about it ... with their own youthly-interpretation. The fact of the matter is these words have much deeper meaning in life.
The phrase - "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly" - is a well-known response to the question "How did you go bankrupt?"
It appears in the novel 'The Sun Also Rises' by maestro Ernest Hemingway.
It describes a common path to bankruptcy (or doom) where a situation deteriorates slowly over time, followed by a sudden but catastrophic collapse.
When it comes to 'catastrophic collapse', the insurgency in north east India would force people to debate about the causes and impacts.
This episode may be a case study.
The security forces issued a strong rebuttal to allegations made by the National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Yung Aung (NSCN-YA), terming them “completely false and misleading,” following the recent statement issued by the NSCN-YA condemning the "ambush” by Indian security forces on April 29, 2025 where two of its cadres were killed.
The NSCN-Yung Aung (YA) had on April 29th issued a strong statement condemning what it described as a “cold-blooded ambush” by security forces, which claimed the lives of two of its Naga army cadres in Pongchau, Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the militant group, the security force actions were part of a coordinated operation. Two NSCN-YA cadres died and three other NSCN-YA cadres were injured.
The security forces officials say the operation was carried out with utmost restraint, despite facing indiscriminate firing and the use of explosives by the armed group.
"The encounter led to the neutralization of two heavily armed insurgents, the successful rescue of one abducted civilian, and the unfortunate death of the other," a source said.
The security forces said that any future misadventure by the proscribed faction would be dealt with “sternly and resolutely,” by the security forces, adding that it stands firmly committed towards providing security to the local population.
This is of course linked to peace, tranquility and contributing to the development of the region.
The security forces also urged the media to "verify sensitive information through official sources" before publishing, to avoid the spread of misinformation and undue panic.
New Delhi has taken cognizance of the episode. The Govt of India agrees with the security force statement that the NSCN-YA is a proscribed organisation. There is no ceasefire with this group either in Nagaland or any other northeastern state.
Hence, if there is any tip off about their movement or there is actual movement; the security forces and the police (respective states) are duty bound to act upon.
The operation by security forces was launched based “on receipt of reliable intelligence from the harassed public about the movement of an armed group of cadres who had also forcibly abducted two civilians engaged in construction work in Pongchau".
Hence, there are issues of debate - one the NSCN-YA cadres should not be seen moving around and secondly they had no business to kidnap people allegedly for ransom.
The Govt of India is also aware that this group had been involved in several other illegal and anti national activities.
That way mandarins dealing with the north east understand that any such situations would be dealt with “sternly and resolutely,” by the security forces as they also are committed towards providing security to the local population and contributing to the development of the region.
Even non-official analysts understand that the security forces got the tip off only because of local people's support as they have got "exasperated" or even intensely irritated by ransom demands which have increased lately due to a plethora of reasons.
"Our soldiers and the respective state police either in Arunachal Pradesh or in Assam are there on ground with boots on eventually for the common people's welfare and larger national interests. And hence with the commitment to deliver; the police and security forces will do their job(s)," an analyst commented.
It may be mentioned that in another operation in April 2025, three suspected NSCN - IM (National Socialist Council of Nagaland -IM) cadres, who entered Assam "allegedly to extort money" from the National Highways Authority of India, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Dima Hasao district.
A cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from Naga cadres in Dima Hasao areas.
Analysts in Delhi also have hit upon another key element to study about and which deserve focus that is the militant groups have no qualms about using the innocent civilians - local tribals or non-locals - as human shields when it comes to fierce operation.
This is something the mass people (the faceless tribals) and the civil society should wake up to.
In Longding, what turns out for closer scrutiny is --- the good old debate about 'us and they'.
The fact of the matter is that while a non-local civilian working for a school building had died in the cross fire though the local co-worker were rescued by the security forces.
But not much public outcry was visible in any quarter. Analysts in Delhi try to look at this public indifference through the prism of 'us and they' syndrome and wonder why locals are not speaking about these issues of frequent kidnapping and ransom demands in the manner they should have.
On the contrary, the Home Ministry mandarins often wonder why frequently protest meetings etc are organised in the name of tribalism or otherwise just to demand review of the border sealing order made by the Central government.
In the Longing case vis-a-vis people’s response; one wonders what the reaction of the local people would have been if it was the other way round.
The fact that one local was rescued and a non-local was killed during the encounter is just providential ... just by chance. It could have been just the opposite way.
But public outcry against the armed groups pushing their unwritten policy of tax-collection (that is extortion) and kidnapping for ransom is not much.
For decades now, the militant groups, those in ceasefire or those without have acted solely as defenders of the people's right but extracted a huge cost.
The Govt of India is now keen to take actions under which such episodes (extortion and abduction business) are put on check. Other Naga groups too could feel the pinch.
Local people should join the chorus in saying - better late than never.

Email:----------------------------nirendelhi@gmail.com