EMN
DIMAPUR NOVEMBER 20
UNDERGROUND cadres from an unidentified faction are said to have hijacked two civilian trucks near the townships in Wokha bordering Assam. The Assam Rifles said that on November 18 at around 6:30 PM, a police report was received regarding movement of a group of about 15–20 unidentified underground elements in the area of Bhandari under Wokha district. The police report received by the Assam Rifles indicated that the cadres were moving in two civil trucks, hijacked by them at Merapani, another nearby township near the border with Assam. The police check point at Bhandari is said to have tried to stop the two vehicles but the undergrounds rammed the truck through the police barrier damaging it.
Reports said that the police personnel manning the barrier rushed to the nearest Assam Rifles post and passed the information. Immediately the troops of Assam Rifles swung into action and a large scale manhunt was launched to track down the miscreants, reports said.
Both the hijacked trucks were recovered near Liolongcham around 3.30 AM in the morning. The drivers, who were of Assamese origin, were found tied up inside the trucks, the security forces said. They were said to have been assaulted by the underground cadres prior to their trucks being hijacked at Merapani. They also revealed that the underground cadres could have either gone towards Champang or may even have returned into the disputed area belt.
The security forces could not establish the identity of the faction the underground elements belonged. However, the UGs are said to have used the word ‘Phiro’, a village in Wokha, a few times during their conversation.
The villagers of Liolongcham also confirmed that the cadres had visited the village late at night and refilled their water bottles. Upon learning that the Assam Rifles were hot on their heels, they had fled back into the jungles in the DAB region.
It may be noted with concern that movement of such a large heavily armed group of UGs, the army said, in “such a rash and aggressive manner not only projects their clear intentions of not abiding by the CFGRs but also instills fear in the people of Nagaland and is not at all conducive to peace and development nor to any lasting solution.”
