Nagaland govt employee abducted by Manipur villagers over border dispute

KOHIMA: A Nagaland government employee was abducted by people from Manipur from a disputed border area after an argument over cutting of firewood, the Nagaland assembly was informed on Tuesday.

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister-in-charge of Home, Y Patton, said that the ‘dobashi’ (interpreter) was manhandled and abducted by the residents of Tungjoy village in Manipur’s Sepanati district around noon on Monday. He was released late at night following intervention of the governments of the two states.

Patton made the statement after opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLA Chotisuh Sazo during Zero Hour raised the issue of the dobashi’s abduction near Khezhakeno village in Chida area of Phek district.

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Sazo also asked the government about measures taken by it to settle the boundary dispute between the two states.

Patton said that on Monday, around 500 people from Tungjoy crossed the border to the Nagaland side and started cutting firewood. When policemen and the dobashi went there, the mob overpowered them.

He was released at around 11:30 pm after the chief secretary and the director general of police of both the states discussed the issue, Patton informed the assembly.

An FIR is being registered by the superintendent of police of Phek district, Patton said, adding that the SP has been directed to make an enquiry into the incident and submit a report to the Police Headquarters.