Standoff; road blockade at DC Court junction after police restricts group from proceeding ahead
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 12
An abortive bid to march towards the contested Daldali Reserve Forest, under Karbi-Anglong Autonomous district by a group of people almost turned violent in Dimapur on July 12. The group, numbering some 100-150 people, who claims ownership over tracts of land within the Daldali Reserve Forest were thwarted by the Dimapur district administration from proceeding to the contested site at the District Jail (formerly sub-jail) junction, NH 36, later resulting in a standoff at the Dimapur State Stadium road intersection.
Unhappy over the pre-emptive act of the Dimapur district administration, the livid crowd barricaded the road obstructing vehicular traffic. The members of the crowd asserted they have the right to establish a settlement called ‘United village’ on land falling beyond Aoyimkum and Indisen villages, which the Assam Forest department claims to be part of Daldali Reserve Forest.
Plans for the day’s abortive act were reportedly made days earlier. The authorities in Karbi-Anglong, as per reports, also got wind of the plan and made necessary security arrangement at Daldali to thwart the attempt.
The Dimapur district administration stated that the preventive act of the police today was to avoid clashes at the inter-state border. “The agitated crowd was made to reason and understand the situation,” said a district administration official. According to the official, the crowd was categorically told that the Nagaland state government is taking up the issue of land between Assam and Nagaland seriously. With the Assam-Nagaland border case being heard at the Supreme Court reportedly at a “crucial stage”, the official averred any development activity on contested border land could and might adversely affect the Nagaland state government’s case.
The representatives met the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur during which the district administration was assured of the former’s cooperation. The representatives also sought a meeting with the state Home Minister soon on the matter.
With regard to the Assam-Nagaland border case pending at the Supreme Court, it was learned that it is being expedited with the hearings taking place on a weekly basis. While the witness examination of the petitioner (Assam state government) has been completed, the examination of witnesses for the respondents (Nagaland state government and the Union government) is scheduled to be held by July end. The SC is reported to have fixed July 15 as the last date for submission of affidavits for the scheduled examinations.
The United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA), in a press statement, held that “skirmishes and confrontations” like today’s will continue until Daldali Reserve Forest is evicted of “people of questionable origins from Assam”, including “Dillai Gate of Assam”, 6th Mile, Sunday Bazar and other habitations in the contested inter-state border land. According to the UNTABA, “It will be unwise to stop our people from occupying their rightful activities since people from Nagaland side has been only trying to occupy the areas given and recognized by the District administration and the Government of Nagaland. It further appealed the public of the aforementioned areas to refrain from adopting confrontational approach against any authority “but to cooperate with each other in all eventualities.
