Assam-Nagaland border row: Blockade leaves Nagaland-bound vehicles stranded on highway
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN / Agencies
Jorhat,June 04 2013:
Security was on Tuesday tightened along the Assam-Nagaland border following the killing of an Adivasi worker by assailants suspected to be from Nagaland at Naginijan tea garden in Jorhat district.
Additional troops have been deployed after the incident that took place yesterday.
Tension has been brewing between Adivasis and Nagas along Assam-Nagaland border area of Mariani for quite sometime, but it was heightened after the Adivasi worker who was allegedly fired at by villagers from Nagaland side at Mokochung-Mariani area succumbed to the injuries.
The deceased has been identified as one Sanjay Bhumji.
Reports said, villagers from across the borders exchanged fire on Monday morning at around 9 and a bullet hit Sanjay Bhumji's chest.
He was rushed to Jorhat Medical College but succumbed to the bullet injuries shortly after admission to the medical college for treatment.
An indefinite economic blockade was also launched in the area today by All Assam Tea Tribes Students Association to protest against the killing.
The blockade left Nagaland-bound vehicles stranded on the highway.
Assam-Nagaland border has witnessed disturbances in the past fortnight following the abduction of five tea garden labourers by suspected members of a militant outfit of Nagaland and subsequent alleged assault of local Congress MLA Rupam Kurmi by CRPF personnel when he went to inquire about the incident.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, before leaving for New Delhi during the day, said the Nagaland Government has been asked to immediately arrest the suspects in the killing and to hand them over to the Assam Government.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of the labourer who died in the firing.
Meanwhile, an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) delegation led by former minister Atul Bora visited the border near the tea garden to take stock of the prevailing situation.
The latest incident happened barely after a week of imposing blockade and counter blockade in the border area.
On May 27, under the banner of All Assam Tea Tribes' Students Association (AATTSA), the Adivasis had imposed blockade against Nagaland at Mariani area of Assam-Nagaland border accusing the Nagas of assaulting the some Adivasis.
On the other hand, the Nagas alleged that the Adivasis were encroaching into Nagas' land and had destroyed the standing crops in the fields of the Nagas at Mariani area.
"Unable to restrain further, the villagers waylaid the encroachers on May 23 and caught two encroachers red-handed in the act of destroying plantation and cultivated land within the Naga ancestral land near the Assam border.
The encroachers were handed over to the Police Station of Longchem Hq for necessary action," the Naga villages of Nokpu Village Council and Saring Nokpu B Village Council had stated.
Countering to the act of the Adivasi community, the apex body of Ao Nagas under the banner of Ao Senden had imposed counter-blockade from 6 am of May 28 .
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