Tension continues to run high at Jessami
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 19 2012:
Even as the six villagers of Jessami who were abducted by Nagaland villagers over boundary dispute have been freed, tension still runs high in the border village.
Some Jessami villagers who went to their farms were abducted by a large number of Melourie villagers of Nagaland in collaboration with the armed village guards of the neighbouring State yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, one Jessami villager who is also a VDF personnel has been brought to Shija Hospital as he was severely assaulted by the Melourie villagers.
He was among the six Jessami villagers who were abducted.
The injured VDF personnel has been identified as NI Zovi Wezah (30) .
Visiting the injured villager today, Chingai AC MLA Preshow Shimray said that the Jessami villagers were assaulted at a spot located about 8 Kms inside the territory of Manipur from the suspension bridge which connects Manipur and Nagaland.
Noting that dispute over territory/land was the prime factor for the abduction, the MLA said that the abducted villagers were assaulted by around 400 Melourie villagers when 20 Manipur Police personnel led by the OC of Jessami PS went to rescue them.
To protect the villagers of Jessami, 42 VDF personnel were recruited in 2010 .
But the VDFs are no match for the armed village guards and Melourie villagers who are much greater in number.
Until and unless a company of IRB or MR and a full strength police team led by an SDPO is deployed in the area, the neighbouring village of Nagaland would not pay much respect to Jessami.
The same matter would be put before the Chief Minister and the Home Minister, Preshow Shimray said.
With regard to the border dispute, the MLA said that the relevant State Government officials have been corresponding officially with their Nagaland counterparts.
Yet, he appealed to both the villagers of Jessami and Melourie to stay calm.
ICHAM president N Rajendro questioned as to why the State Government pulled back the IRB company which was deployed at Jessami two years back.
He demanded the State Government to open a post of the State force near the bridge which connects Manipur and Nagaland.
Rajendro also assured that whatever expenditure incurred in the course of treating NI Zovi Wezah would be borne by ICHAM together with people of Manipur.