Assam-Nagaland border violence toll mounts to 11

The death toll in firing and arson along the Assam-Nagaland border by alleged miscreants from Nagaland has increased to 11 with the recovery of nine more bodies from the disturbed Uriamghat area of Assam on Friday even as night curfew continued.

Assam Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) A P Rout told PTI that all the bodies belonged to the victims of the first day's violence on Tuesday in the trouble-hit areas of Uriamghat in Golaghat district.

Two of the nine bodies were recovered from Sukhanjan and Chainpur villages and they were identified as that of Joca Tirkey and Jiten Khalko, Rout said.

Another body, identified as that of Nisa Ekka, and six other unnamed bodies were also recovered from the area falling under 'B' Sector of the Assam-Nagaland border, the police said.

Two other bodies belonging to Fasai Karmakar and Africa Toppo were also found.

Meanwhile, night curfew from 6 pm to 6 am will continue in the troubled areas of Uriamghat, the ADGP said.

Around 200 houses of over 1,000 people were set ablaze by the miscreants, he said adding over 10,000 people have left their homes and are sheltering in 10 relief camps opened in the area.

Seven villages, including Chetiagaon, Romanbasti, Chainpur, Ratanpur, Kamphur and Sukhanjan falling under Sector B of the Assam-Nagaland border, have been affected by the violence.

Additional para-military forces were rushed to the affected places as only neutral central security forces like the CRPF can be deployed along the disputed inter-state border though state police force has also been kept on alert in case of any eventuality, official sources said.

The administration has opened a central control room, comprising Assam Police, Nagaland Police and CRPF, the ADGP added.

Trouble began on Tuesday during a protest-rally when an agitated mob gathered in front of 155 CRPF battalion at Chetiagaon village under Uriamghat police station to protest against the abduction of two boys - Ajoy Gor and Philson Kujur- by suspected miscreants from Nagaland.

CRPF personnel resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob when miscreants from across the border opened fire at the protestors killing one person, identified as 25-year old Fasai Karmakar, on the spot and injured two others.

The Assam-Nagaland border area is divided into six sectors -- A, B, C, D, E and F falling in the districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong for administrative convenience.

With inputs from PTI

Image: All Assam Students Union protest against the violence at the Assam-Nagaland border