Border Violence: Assam Points Finger At NSCN-IM

Activists of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad blocking the Assam-Nagaland road in protest against the killing of innocent Assamese people by Naga miscreants, in Sonari on Wednesday.

Guwahati, Aug 14 : The state government has accused the NSCN (IM) of inciting the ongoing flare up on the disputed Assam-Nagaland border in Assam's Golaghat district that started on Tuesday, resulting in the death of three Adivasi villagers of the state. However, the official toll is one.

Over 6,000 people of five villages of the Uriamghat area in Dhansiri sub-division of the district have fled their homes after armed Naga miscreants raided their villages in the last 24 hours and set houses on fire.

On Tuesday, the miscreants fired at a gathering of villagers at Chetiagaon when they had gathered near the CRPF camp (stationed as neutral force) in search of two students, who were suspected to be kidnapped by NSCN (IM), on July 26. The two kidnapped Class X students — Phingson Kujur and Ajar Gar — are still missing.

State home secretary GD Tripathi, who is camping at the site, said, "There were some incidents of houses being set on fire on Wednesday morning. But since then, the situation is under control as we have deployed adequate number of security personnel."

The state home secretary said his Nagaland counterpart has described the incident as 'people-to-people animosity. "We don't deny the involvement of NSCN (IM)," said Tripathi.

Tripathi added that about 6,000 people, who have fled their villages, are taking shelter in eight relief camps of Uraimghat. Chetiagaon, which was the centre of attack on Tuesday, is known for the presence of Maoists and Adivasi militant outfits.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi called up Union home minister Rajnath Singh and sought additional central para-military forces in the trouble-torn Uriamghat area.

There was NSCN (IM)'s involvement in several border flare ups in the past and many of their cadres were found issuing threats to Assamese villagers. The two states are locked in decades-old border dispute which have turned violent several times.

According to state government records, Nagaland has encroached on 59,159.77 hectares of Assam land. The Nagas, on the other hand, claim that 4,974.16 sq miles of their state have been transferred out to Assam. The disputed border has been categorized as A,B,C,D,E & F sectors for the administration's convenience.