Guwahati: Tensions erupted once again along the volatile Assam-Nagaland border after heavily armed Naga miscreants attacked Tengatol village in Golaghat district’s disputed B Sector late Thursday night, firing up nearly 90 houses and leaving hundreds of residents displaced.
The incident occurred around 11:45 pm when around 400 miscreants stormed the minority-dominated village, firing gunshots and hurling grenades to create panic before setting houses and property ablaze. Eyewitnesses said villagers fled into nearby rivers, forests, and fields to save their lives as the attackers destroyed livestock, vehicles, household goods, and documents.
“Except for the Namghar, everything has been reduced to ashes. They dragged us out of our homes, claiming this was Naga land. My family has lived here for generations, but now we are being forced to leave,” recounted a resident.
Locals alleged that the delayed arrival of CRPF personnel allowed the attackers to unleash large-scale destruction. Following the incident, Assam Police deployed heavy reinforcements in the area, while senior officials including the Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat and Superintendent of Police Rajen Singh assessed the situation.
Sarupathar MLA Biswajit Phukan condemned the attack, urging the Chief Minister to take strictest action. Relief measures are being mobilised for affected families, though no casualties have been officially reported so far.
The violent episode has once again highlighted the recurring flare-ups over land disputes along the Assam-Nagaland border, an issue that has triggered repeated cycles of violence and displacement over the decades.