Two injured as Assam police opens fire on Naga villagers

3 Nagas shot in 4 firing incidents since March 21

Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, APRIL 14

For the fourth instance, since March 21 last, Assam Police on Monday morning fired upon Naga villagers at the disputed inter-state border belt near Dikoi village, injuring at least two persons in the process.
The shooting occurred at around 8.55 am on Monday when Assam police personnel, in Khaki as well as in civvies, swarmed upon at least three groups of Naga people clearing the jungle in the area, according to sources.
One of the Naga groups engaged in clearing the jungle happened to be from Dikoi village, who later claimed to newsmen that they were carrying out their jungle clearing activity only and rightfully within their village area.
One of the injured persons, whose identity remains unclear, is from Dikoi. He was reportedly shot in the left arm. The shooting had lasted for 2 hours, according to Dikoi villagers.
The other person, identified only as Shikavi, 33 years of age, was hit in the abdomen by one of the bullets. He hails from Thilixu village in Dimapur and is undergoing medical treatment at Nikos hospital since.
According to the villagers at Dikoi, the first shooting by the Assam police was on March 21 last, followed by another on April 1st. Ten days later, the Assam police resorted to another round of firing, injuring a women from Dikoi village on that occasion.On Monday, however, they followed up the morning firing by another one in the afternoon at 2.16 pm, when some newsmen were still at Dikoi village. No one was injured though, from the second round of firing.
Dikoi village is bordered by the Rangapahar military cantonment on the eastern side, Aoyimkum in north, Sangtamtilla in south and Assam in the western edge.
With a population of around 400-500, as claimed by the general secretary of Dikoi Village Council Veshekhu Sho-o, the village was accorded government recognition on 1989. The territorial spread of the village stands at 1235 acres, he said.
“We have come here to settle in our own recognized village and not to encroach on anyone’s land,” Veshekhu said. The villagers have asked the district administration to deploy security forces in the area while regretting that the IRB personnel camped near the village always reach only when the firing is over.
It is worth mentioning that the Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner of Diphu, Jyotimary Daimary had on April 5 told some Dimapur-based newspapers, including Eastern Mirror, that border officials from both sides would conduct a “joint operation after the elections.”
At present, the border issue between Assam and Nagaland has been declared as sub judice by the Supreme Court of India which means that the case is under judicial consideration and that it is prohibited from public discussion elsewhere.