Dimapur, May 4 (MExN): In yet another instance of the already increased land-related clashes in the state, a massive armed mob from Akuk (old) village under Wokha district on April 30 attacked Wozhu (old) villagers. The villagers were held hostage and terrorized by the mob from Akuk village, reportedly led by the Akuk Students Union.
The mob forced the Wozhu villagers into signing a ready-made “agreement” declaring that Wozhu ceases all claims over the area. The “agreement” was said to bear the official seal of the Lotha Students Union (LSU). A report from the chairman of Wozhu Village Council Niheto Sumi gave the accounts of the incident between the two villages.
According to the report, a mob led by leaders and members of ASU first swooped down on some Wozhu villagers who were working in their fields in the village’s areas. Then the village was encircled by two groups of the mob who were armed with firearms (including 12 bore, .22s and muskets) and local weapons. After some rounds of blank-firing the mob from Akuk village held every member of Wozhu hostage from 9am till 1pm. The captors barred the villagers from any movement, warning that any one would be fired upon if discovered to be attempting to escape. In the report was also stated that the mob was ordered for “checking” the private parts of women “to see if it is unlike Lotha women.”
Later, the captors produced a ready-made “agreement” written in plain paper and bearing the official seal of the LSU. The Wozhu villagers were threatened with the severest of consequences if they did not abdicate all claims of ownership over the area.
In the light of these developments, Wozhu village has demanded from the concern authority that the members of ASU be awarded punishment; that Akuk village be made “co-responsible” for the criminal activities committed by the Akuk youths; that status quo be maintained between Akuk and Wozhu in regard to tilling of the land till final settlement; that the summon issued to both the villages on May 2, by the Border Magistrate of Merapani be annulled or postponed for future hearing as the issue has ‘turned out to be more of a criminal nature than a simple border dispute.’
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