SAYO sets ablaze truck; Mao denizens assaulted
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 17 2022:
Volunteers of Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) on Friday evening set fire to a Tata truck belonging to a Mao local and also assaulted many Mao people in Viswema area on the Manipur and Nagaland border.
According to a police report, around 10 pm Friday, a Tata Truck (NL IQ 4710), belonging to one S Thona s/o Sekho of Tungam Khullen, Senapati district, which was transporting sand was halted by volunteers of SAYO.
They then beat up the driver brutally and proceeded to set fire the truck.
The injured driver and assistant were later rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
In connection with the ongoing dispute over Dzukou Valley, SAYO had banned entry of Mao people in areas inhabited by Angami of Nagaland from December 15.Following the ban, various violent incidents were reported including assault of Mao people in Angami-inhabited areas of Nagaland.
Amidst this, SAYO volunteers started halting vehicles passing through Angami area from 10 pm Friday and checking the documents.
They found the particular truck belonged to a person residing in Mao, Manipur.
They then allowed the other trucks to pass through before committing the violent act on the truck belonging to Mao denizen.
On receiving news of the incident, a team of Nagaland police rushed to the scene on Saturday morning and conducted a preliminary investigation.
Meanwhile, SAYO volunteers brutally beat up an auto driver identified as Apolo (35) s/o Losii of Tadubi village at around 3pm on Friday, near Khuzama gate.
Apolo was ferrying two people from Imphal to Khuzama via Mao.
He has been admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
It has also been reported that volunteers of Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) and SAYO drove away families of five Mao households residing in An-gami-inhabited area, who are now seeking refuge in Mao.
Similar incidents of violence against Mao people residing in Angami areas of Nagaland have been on the rise in the past few days.
On the other hand, an official team consisting of Mao AC MLA Losii Dikho, Manipur commissioner (Home) T Ranjit, ADGP L Kailun, deputy secretary (Home) and SP in-charge Senapati arrived at Mao and talked with the local CSOs and people over the ban and violent acts committed against Mao people.
The team assured that the Manipur government will talk with its Nagaland counterpart to bring an amicable solution on the issue and urged the people to continue maintaining peace and harmony to prevent any unwanted incidents.
The state police have also taken up steps to protect the Mao locals from being targeted by Angami people, the team assured.
After SAPO placed a ban on entry of Mao people in Angami area of Nagaland, volunteers of SAPO and SAYO checked all vehicles from Manipur and allowed them to pass through, except for those from Mao.
If any Mao person is found, they either are detained or beaten up, a report from Senapati District Police conveyed.
Meanwhile, Senapati District Truck Owners' Association, Manipur has strongly condemned the assault on the truck driver and assistant from Mao at Viswema on Friday evening.
In a statement released to the press, the Association said that it was unfortunate of SAYO volunteers to get involve in violent anti-communal activities.
MSUK also issued a cautionary note to all passenger service providers/vehicles operating along Guwahati-Shillong-Imphal to avoid passing through Angami inhabited areas of Nagaland in view of the selective attacks on Mao people.
If needed, one should take the Peren-Maram route or Rusoma-Chozuba-Pfutsero-Khezhakeno-Tadubi route, the note suggested.
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