Assam-Nagaland border clash
Golaghat (Assam): Night curfew has been imposed in the trouble-torn areas of Uriamghat in Golaghat district along Assam-Nagaland border Thursday following the killing of a youth and arson by suspected miscreants from the neighbouring state.
Night curfew from 6pm to 6am has been clamped by the Golaghat district administration, a spokesman of the Directorate of information and public relations, Government of Assam said.
No fresh incident was reported on Thursday in the area, which witnessed arson and burning down of at least 100 houses by miscreants from Nagaland which forced nearly 12000 to flee from their homes and take shelter in relief camps set up by the administration.
Commissioner and Secretary (Home and Political) G D Tripathi, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order and in-charge border) A P Rout and DIG (Central Range) P C Saloi have rushed to Uriamghat and were overseeing the security measures in the affected area, the spokesman said.
Parliamentary Secretary (Home and Political) Etuwa Munda is also camping there to monitor the situation, he added. As per government norm Rs five lakh would be paid as ex-gratia grant to the next of kin of the dead youth, while Rs 50,000 each would be given to those whose houses were torched, the spokesman said.
Trouble began during a protest rally on Tuesday when an agitated mob gathered in front of 155 CRPF battalion camp at Chetigaon village in Uriamghat to protest against the abduction of two boys by suspected miscreants from Nagaland.
Unable to control the situation, CRPF personnel resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob when miscreants from across the border opened fire at the protestors killing the 25-year-old youth on the spot and injured two others.
Houses set on fire were in the border villages of Chetiagaon, Rumanbasti, Tenpur, Lachitgaon and Jadhajibasti of Golaghat district which is in Sector B of the Assam-Nagaland border, official sources said.
It triggered the exodus of people from the villages, the sources added. Additional para-military were rushed to the affected places as only neutral central security forces like CRPF can be deployed along the disputed inter-state border. State police force has also been kept on alert in case of any eventuality, Tripathi said. The Assam-Nagaland border area is divided into six sectors — A, B, C, D, E and F in the districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong for administrative convenience.
Tension along the border areas of the two states has been a matter of long-standing concern.
Meanwhile, Assam Truck Drivers and Handymen Association has called an indefinite halt to movement of trucks carrying essentials to Nagaland in view of Tuesday’s attack. (PTI)