Fresh border tension in Lakhimpur village over alleged Arunachal encroachment

North Lakhimpur, May 20: Tension prevails at No. 1 Adarshagaon in Pathali Pahar Gaon Panchayat under Narayanpur Revenue Circle in Lakhimpur district following alleged encroachment by people from Arunachal Pradesh.

It is alleged that a house was built illegally on a plot of land on Assam side of the inter-state boundary by encroachers from Arunachal Pradesh.

According to Seemanta Prahari, an organization advocating for the interests of people from Assam on the inter-state boundary, the incomplete house was built by some people from across the border by illegally entering the Assam side.

Meanwhile, expressing serious concern over the issue, the villagers of No. 1 Adarshagaon and Milanpur have asked the district authorities here to take action against the alleged encroachment.

The No. 1 Adarshagaon was established in 1985 to settle landless people from different parts of Lakhimpur on the inter-state boundary in Pathali Pahar. A village of multi-ethnic population like Adivasis, Nepalis, Misings, the border village has been witnessing skirmishes on boundary disputes over the years. Moreover, the villagers do not have land documents in their names and most of them have been living in “occupied” conditions.

In January 2022, a group of armed miscreants entered the village from Arunachal Pradesh side and tried to occupy the land by intimidating the villagers. However, due to the immediate and timely intervention of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), bringing together the revenue circle officers from both sides of the boundary, the situation came under control.