Assam–Nagaland border flare-up: 11 Naga villages restrict entry, impose Rs 50,000 fine
Assam residents crossing into Naga villages through Merapani now require either ILP or written council permission, notice mandates
Earlier, boundary markers and signage displaying “Ruchan village jurisdiction Wokha (Lotha)” appear in Uriamghat (AT Photo)
Merapani, Aug 26: Tensions have flared again along the Assam–Nagaland border after 11 Naga village councils under Bhandari sub-division in Nagaland issued a notification imposing strict new entry rules for Assamese residents crossing into Nagaland through Merapani.
The notification, issued on August 23 and set to take effect from September 1, mandates that Assamese residents must now obtain either an Inner Line Permit (ILP) or written permission from the respective village council before entering Naga villages. Violators will face a Rs 50,000 fine along with other legal penalties.
The rules also extend beyond people - even cattle or goats straying across the border will invite penalties for their owners.
According to the official notice, the following activities are now prohibited within the jurisdiction of the 11 villages, namely Suphayan, Roni Old, Roni New, Lio-Wokha New, Pangtong, Khumchoyan, Longiung, Hayiyan, Yenchu, Serika and Tongti.
The notice has understandably sparked anger and anxiety among the people living near the Assam side of the interstate border. Members of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) at Golaghat expressed concern, adding that the move by the village councils is not acceptable.
“We have received a notice signed by 11 village councils after they held a meeting. It clearly says no one from Assam can enter without ILP or council permission. Even cattle cannot cross over to Nagaland. While we welcome some good points like the prohibition of alcohol and drugs, this move is not acceptable,” an AJYCP member said.
He added that such restrictions could hurt the relationship between the border communities.
“Assam does not enforce ILP, and people from Nagaland enter freely here. Why then impose restrictions only on Assamese villagers? This is linked to the incident and unrest of August 15. We urge the Golaghat administration and Assam government to take up the matter immediately. Though the rules are supposed to come into force from September 1, we have already heard reports that Assamese workers along the border have been threatened today,” the student leader alleged.
The notice by 11 village councils of Nagaland (AT Image)
The Merapani area has been a flashpoint in the Assam–Nagaland border dispute, with frequent tensions over land use, forest rights, and encroachments. The latest notice has caused unease among Assamese villagers, many of whom depend on cross-border access for grazing and collecting forest produce.
The notification includes the following pointers:
- No entry without ILP or village council permit
- Prohibition on grazing of cattle & goats across the border
- Hunting, fishing or collection of firewood, bamboo, fruits or vegetation not allowed without permission
- No gambling and immoral activities
- Use or carrying of intoxicants including alcohol and drugs are prohibited
- Carrying of firearms or smuggling of contraband is not allowed
- Unauthorised gatherings, picnics or photography deemed to disturb public harmony is banned