Kohima, Aug. 19: A public backlash of the kind that forced the Khaplang faction of the NSCN to abandon its council headquarters in Mokokchung town in 2003 is brewing in the Nagaland capital.

The Angami tribe has set 3pm tomorrow as the deadline for the militant group to hand over one of its activists, accused of attacking a leader of the Angami Students Union last week, or face a flushout.

The militant in question had an altercation with the student leader over extortion.

The NSCN (K)’s rival is in trouble, too. A mob lynched three extortionists from the Isak-Muivah faction in Tuensang, 250 km from Kohima, yesterday for collecting “tax”. They were dragged out of a police lock-up and beaten to death.

Commissioner T.N. Mannen said the situation was under control and that the district administration was alert to the possibility of reprisal. A source confirmed that NSCN (I-M) activists were seen moving about openly in the town.

The NSCN (I-M) described the circumstances that triggered mob fury as “unfortunate”. But it said the “uncivilised way of venting public anger” was “more condemnable”.

In Kohima, the Angami Students Union, Angami Youth Front and several organisations here, including those representing other Naga tribes, warned of “drastic action” against NSCN (K) cadre in the capital town if the culprit who shot at the student leader was not handed over to them.

A bandh called by Angami organisations was, however, lifted today.

The militant, Yehokhu Sumi, had fired a bullet at the former president of the Angami Students Union, Medo Yhokha, on Thursday in Jail Colony.

The NSCN (K) pledged action against the militant, but the assurance failed to mollify residents.

No representative of the outfit appeared before the organisations on Friday, as had been asked to do.

The NSCN (K) argued that since the crime was committed without the approval of its leadership, the outfit as a whole should not be held responsible for it.

Senior functionaries of the outfit — Kughalu Mulatonu, Singson Kuki and Akato Chophy — have separately pledged stringent action soon against Yehokhu.

But Mulatonu has warned the Angami Nagas that the outfit would not tolerate the entire organisation being held responsible for the offence.