Stolen bullocks aggravate Assam-Naga border tension

Dimapur, July 3 (MExN): In a telling example of the sensitivity of tensions in the Assam-Nagaland border, a pair of bullocks stolen on the night of June 21 is said to have led to heightened hostilities in the Mariani areas. An executive member of the Border Peace Coordination Committee (Assam-Nagaland), Likok Pongen, is said to have been assaulted by the people who stole the bullocks.
The Border Peace Coordination Committee (Assam-Nagaland) said the incident led to heavy tension during the period June 25-26 in the border areas especially at Mariani end.
According to the committee’s president BP Bora, the bullocks were owned by a villager, one Konok Tanti of Thekerabil Udaypur Gaon of Nagajanka under Mariani PS bordering Assam and Nagaland. The bullocks were stolen on the night of June 21 and subsequently the owner approached Likok Pongen, an executive member of the Border Peace Committee (Assam-Nagaland). In a joint effort, Pongen recovered the bullocks from “an interested party” who claimed to have purchased the bullocks. However, they failed to produce the purchase-documents for the claimed transaction.
Unfortunately, the “unfounded high-hand claimant” severely tortured Likok Pongen as well as the bullocks’ owner and others. Apart from this severe manhandling requiring hospitalization of the victims, fine was also reportedly imposed on some of the victims, the committee informed.
Ironically, the Assam administration is said to have targeted even Naga travelers as the owner of the missing bullocks who went to Nagaland in search of the missing cattle did not return till the evening of June 26.
They were suspected to have been tortured and kept hostage by suspected NSCN cadres at Chungtiayimsen village, it was informed.
The BPCC (A-N) viewed the entire affair very seriously and said that the efforts of the committee members for peace and coordination in the borders should be recognized rather than dragging them to unwarranted situations.
Further, the BPCC requests the village administration of the area or any other authority to look into the incident of June 25 around Chungtiayimsen village in connection with theft and the subsequent events. The person responsible should be booked, the committee demanded.