Assam-Nagaland border dispute: Seven houses torched
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Dimapur, February 27 2014 :
Even as the indefinite economic blockade imposed against Nagaland entered third day today, tension is fast heightening as the Assam-Nagaland border impasse continues with seven houses at a Dimasa village torched by miscreants this morning.
Reports from Diphu in Karbi Anglong district of Assam said some miscreants entered Itchapur village which is inhabited by Dimasa tribe of Assam in the wee hours today and set ablaze the village in which seven houses were engulfed in fire.
Itchapur village falls under Diphu subdivision.
Though the Karbi Anglong district administration suspected that people opposed to the blockade might have committed the arson, but officially no details were revealed.
The indefinite economic blockade against Nagaland in both the National Highway 39 and NH-36 imposed by Karbi Students and Youth Council (KSYC), All Dimasa Students' Union (ADSU), All Assam Gurkha Students' Union (AAGSU), Karbi Unemployed Youth Association (KUYA), KSA, ADSU, AAGSU, Karbi Re-Awakening Organisation (KRAO) and United Students Union of Karbi Anglong (USUKA) since February 25 in protest against the alleged encroachment of Assam's territory by people from Nagaland side entered the 3rd day today.
Hundreds of heavy vehicles both from Nagaland and Manipur have been stranded due to the indefinite economic blockade, the reports added.
Meanwhile, in addition to the deployment of two battalions of IRB and large number of police in the Nagaland-Assam border near Dimapur since Wednesday and promulgation of prohibitory order under section 144 of CrPC by the concerned administration in the areas where the blockade is in force, security measures have been further tightened following today morning's incident.
On the other hand, it is said that the state governments of Nagaland and Assam are in constant touch to resolve the ongoing impasse.
A source close to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed hope that things will be fine soon.
"We are putting our maximum effort to ease the situation and to call off the agitation of the Karbi Anglong based organisations," stated the source.
"We are also talking to the civil organisations that matter," the source further stated.