Tension resurfaces along Assam-Nagaland border after assault
Fresh clashes fears expose longstanding inter-state boundary dispute
Guwahati: Tension has resurfaced along the Assam-Nagaland border following an assault on an Assamese man by a group of Naga men in Merapani, highlighting the longstanding territorial dispute and fragile relations between the two Indian states.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident occurred at No. 2 Negheribil, triggering protests by local Assamese residents . Protesters briefly blocked the road and demanded action against those responsible for the assault, besides seeking enhanced security for residents living in the sensitive border area.
The situation became tense during the protest after an argument broke out between Naga and Assamese residents. Police personnel, Forest Department officials and senior civil administration officers reached the area and took measures to prevent the situation from escalating.
Tension continued to prevail in parts of the Merapani border belt, amid growing resentment among Assamese residents over what they described as regular patrolling by Nagaland Police in No. 2 Negheribil, which they claim falls within Assam’s territory.
Residents have also levelled allegations against the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), claiming that its personnel have on several occasions acted in favour of the Naga side during border disputes.
The latest incident has brought renewed attention to the unresolved Assam-Nagaland boundary dispute, which has repeatedly triggered confrontations and tensions between communities living along the inter-state border.
Residents alleged that attempts to occupy No. 2 Negheribil have continued since the Assam Forest Department conducted an eviction drive against encroachments in the area in August last year. The competing territorial claims have remained a major source of friction between Assam and Nagaland, with local communities frequently caught up in disputes over land and administrative control.
