Students serve ultimatum to evict Nagaland police check gate

Guwahati, July 11 (UNI) With simmering tension prevailing along the Asom-Nagaland border areas, a students' body has served an ultimatum to the Asom government to evict the controversial Tseutapala check gate, established by the Nagaland police in the disputed Dessoi valley reserve forest of Jorhat district.

The Titabor unit of AASU set a deadline of July 20 to evict the check gate, failing which the state government would have to ''face the music''.

The controversial gate was recently revamped into its present full-fledged status from a temporary gate set up over two decades ago as per the recommendations of the Sundaram Commission appointed to look into the boundary dispute.

The commission, which recommended that status quo be maintained all along the border areas, okayed for the setting up of the gate to check inner line permits of commuters entering Nagaland.

In a statement, the AASU alleged that the Nagaland Government had encouraged the Nagaland Police to set up the full-fledged check gate-cum-barrack in order to abet the encroachments inside Asom.

The student body also threatened to launch a agitation if the government failed to take any initiative to evict the gate.

Last night, activists of AASU, AJYCP, NSUI and local students, led by MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, gheraoed the Mariani station after the officer in-charge allegedly beat up a student activist, who reportedly roughed up the in-charge of Tseutapala Gate.

After prolonged discussions with representatives of the administration, the students dispersed but not before serving an ultimatum of 48 hours to transfer the OC.

The officer of Nagaland Police, in-charge of the Tseutapala Gate, around 23 km from Jorhat, was roughed up by some student activists during the economic blockade, launched by the student organisations against Nagaland.

The AJYCP had launched a 24-hour economic blockade during which sporadic incidents of violence were reported against Nagaland in Jorhat in protest against the attack by Naga tribals in some villages of Asom.

On communications from the Nagaland administration, a case was registered against five student activists.

Jorhat SP Deepak Choudhury said investigation was on against the charges levelled by the student organisations. '' We are looking into the matter. Nothing can be said till the inquiry is complete, '' he added.

UNI