GUWAHATI, : Mariani legislator, Rupjyoti Kurmi escaped unhurt after unidentified miscreants opened fire, from a distance, at a delegation led by the legislator at the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest along the Assam-Nagaland border in Jorhat district on Thursday.
The Congress MLA was making an on-the-spot assessment of illegal encroachment, allegedly by occupants from Nagaland, in the hilly forest area on Assam territory, when the firing took place.
Speaking to reporters later, Kurmi said he had a narrow escape as about 15 to 20 rounds of ammunition were allegedly fired from a distance.
“I am thankful to two of my personal security officers and three Assam police constables who fired back and controlled the situation even as we had to run for cover,” he said.
The MLA told media persons that he had received several complaints about “illegal encroachment by Nagaland-based miscreants”.
“So being the local MLA, I decided to make an assessment on the ground. But when we reached the area, the miscreants opened fire on our group and we had to run for cover to save ourselves,” Kurmi said.
Forest personnel and journalists had also accompanied the MLA to the area. Fortunately, there was no report of any serious injury to any member of the visiting delegation.
The legislator further alleged that about two to three kilometers of land inside the reserve forest in Assam territory was illegally occupied by settlers from Nagaland.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed grave concern saying that the incident was extremely unfortunate.
Sarma directed special director general of police, G.P Singh to rush to the spot and investigate the matter urgently, a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) said on Thursday evening.
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