Border area with Assam tense; Nagaland govt alert

Emilo Khuvung
Kohima | March 28

The Assam Border Magistrate, Police and CRPF including a peace committee had a joint meeting today following the recent murder of three Kyong persons, said to be Naga underground cadres, and injuring another, on 27 March in the border areas.

It is reported that the Assam border magistrate has directed the villagers on their side to stop stone quarrying till the situation is normalized. Detailed report on the discussion is yet to reach the Border Affairs department, till the time of filing this story. 

Also, Parliamentary Secretary for Border Affairs Y Patton had a joint sitting with Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Nagaland Banou Z Jamir, Joint Secretary for Border Affairs, Limsong and Deputy Secretary for Border Affairs Robin Tsopoe at his official residence this evening.

Media persons were told that the spot where the crime took place is thickly populated by non-locals mainly labourers. The labourers should be evicted from that area, the meeting is said to have discussed. A peace committee is also suggested to create a ‘cordial environment’ and also to make clear that the matter should not escalate.

Continued on page 5Expressing concern, Patton and departmental officials has decided to visit the site tomorrow morning where they will have interactions with villagers. It is also reported that the Naga Students’ Federation and Kyong Students’ union are also scheduled to visit the site tomorrow where the two organizations will hold a public meeting at the Governor’s Camp.

Also, four legislators representing Wokha district today appealed to the Kyong community to maintain peace instead of retaliating against the people involved in the incident. The legislators and the Kyong Hoho, Kyong Students’ Union, Eloe Hoho, DBs, GBs and the district administration met today in the DC’s conference Hall and resolved not to aggravate the issue ‘as the incident occurred inside Naga soil.’

On March 27, stone quarry labourers residing on the banks of Doyang River, falling under Koro village of Bhandari Sub-Division under Wokha district reportedly had an altercation with 4 persons who went to collect so-called “tax.” The Naga persons were attacked and reportedly stoned and beaten to death, while another person escaped with injuries.

There are also claims that the CRPF did not intervene or go to the site. The Border Magistrate and Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) of Ralan Kethosituo Sekhose said in a report said that the situation is highly tense although precautionary measures are being ensured.