The Union Government has despatched extra security forces to restore peace and order along the disputed boundary between Nagaland and Assam in Golaghat.
“Earlier there were nine Central Reserve Police Force posts in the area, which have been doubled following the latest round of violence. The blockade on National Highway 39 has now been cleared by the Assam police forces. We are keeping a close watch on the developments and will take further action based on assessment of the ground situation,” said a Union Home Ministry official.
The Centre is hoping that Chief Ministers of the two States would, during a meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday, would arrive at some agreement over the issue to de-escalate the prevailing tension.
The Assam government has set up a dozen relief camps to shelter thousands of people who fled from their villages after being recently attacked by armed groups from Nagaland. The assailants had torched 200 houses in over half-a-dozen villages.
A few days ago, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had sought Centre’s intervention for restoration of peace in the Uriamghat area of Golaghat.
The issue was raised by the Nagaland government in 1971 and subsequently the Assam government moved the Supreme Court in 1988. The Supreme Court has started a mediation process to resolve the longstanding dispute between the two States.
