Naga-Assam border clash re-erupts

Mariani (Assam-Nagaland border), Aug 8 (UNI) Border clash erupted once again along the Assam-Nagaland border after suspected Naga miscreants shot at an Assamese person and razed down a couple of houses, hours after the All Assam Students Union(AASU) attempted to take out a protest march to Nagaland in the Jorhat district.

Firing from Nagaland side was reported this evening, creating tension in the area as Nagas had allegedly taken an aggressive position hours after more than 200 activists of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and other organizations were taken into preventive custody when they started marching towards the New Chuntia border observation post from here in a bid to claim Assam's 'territory'.

According to official sources, one Assamese trader was shot at in Wokha district, adjacent to the Golghat border as the tension inside Nagaland have also mounted. Only yesterday Assam Assembly at length debated over Naga-Assam border issue and vowed not to leave an inch of land to Nagaland.

Despite the arrest of the AASU activists, the situation along the Assam-Nagaland border areas in the entire Jorhat district remained volatile, with Naga miscreants razing ablaze at least three houses in the Nagazanka area, just four km from here, in an apparent manifestation of their opposition to the AASU bid.

Jorhat SP Deepak Choudhury said the protesters of the AASU were arrested as section 144 of the CrPC was in force in the place. More than 2,000 protesters, including villagers and women, had gathered in the New Sonowal Forest Beat Office, about 6 km from here, and started marching towards the Tsutapala Gate.

This provoked the series of retaliation from the Naga side.

Carrying posters, placards and banners, the protesters shouted slogans demanding a resolution to the vexed boundary dispute. They also came down heavily on the state governments and the Centre.

However, CRPF personnel prevented them from moving towards the Tsutapala check post.

Deputy Commissioner of Mukokchung district of Nagaaland Abishek Singh, who had also arrived at the scene, said both sides wanted peace, and the boundary dispute should be resolved through discussions.''The Mukokchung district administration would meet their Jorhat counterpart soon to discuss the matter,'' he added.

Yesterday, Naga village heads had clamped an indefinite curfew in the Chirang Valley region of Alongtaki constituency in Mukokchung district, adjacent to Assam.

The indefinite 'curfew' extends from the Tsutapala check post, around 8 km from here, to Longtho Valley, which comprise over 22 Naga villages. The Naga Police personnel refused to allow anyone beyond the place. Indian Reserve Battalion personnel were also deployed at the post.

In the neighbouring Sivasagar district, suspected miscreants from Nagaland last month attacked three villages, setting ablaze dozens of houses, killing three persons and slaughtering cattle.

UNI