Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 27
Five youths, including a minor were picked up from Rilan village, Dimapur bordering Assam’s Karbi-Anglong Autonomous district reportedly by Assam Police and Forest personnel on May 27. The Rilan Village Council (RVC) quoting eyewitness account stated that the incident occurred around 8:00 am today on the western fringe of the village bordering Assam, when the youths were clearing undergrowths for farming.
The site in question is disputed by the Assam Forest department as falling under Daldali Reserve Forest, while Rilan village maintain it is well within its jurisdiction and part of Nagaland state.
The disputed site overlooks a camp of the Assam Police and a settlement recently set up on the Assam side a few hundred metres south of NH 36 towards Diphu.
The RVC quoted the village headman as witnessing the incident. The youths were reportedly rounded up and taken away by some 30-40 armed Assam Police and Forest personnel.
The villagers subsequently marched to the nearby Lahorijan Police Outpost where the AP personnel stationed at the post denied having any knowledge of the incident. The villagers were further told that the personnel could have come from Diphu.
Terming the act as “abduction,” the RVC said that a complaint was lodged at West Police Station after which West PS personnel left for Diphu to inquire.
It later emerged that the youths were taken to Diphu and lodged at Diphu Police Station to be subsequently forwarded to magisterial custody. It was still to be ascertained on what charges the youths were picked up.
