Sarbananda Sonowal urges MHA to ensure security along Assam-Naga border

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the killing of 11 people along the Assam-Nagaland border, Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today urged the Union Home Ministry to urgently intervene and do all the needful to bring peace in the trouble-torn areas.

Sonowal, who hails from Assam, conveyed to the Home Ministry that the situation along the Assam-Nagaland border was grim due to the "continuous threat of attack by armed gang from Nagaland".

In a memorandum, the Union Minister urged the Home Ministry to deploy adequate security forces to provide security to people living in the troubled areas in Golaghat district of Assam.

Sonowal also appealed for relief, rehabilitation and compensation to those affected by the recent violence there. He said several thousand people have left their villages out of panic.

Nine bodies were recovered from disturbed Uriamghat area in Golaghat district yesterday while two others were killed earlier by armed people from across the border, with the district administration imposing night curfew along the border villages.

Meanwhile, in a separate memorandum, the Union Minister also urged the Home Ministry to provide relief and other assistance to flood-affected people in Assam.

Sonowal said Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Dhemaji districts were badly affected by the floods and about 20,000 people were displaced due to the flood water from several rivers, including the Brahmaputra.

The minister will visit the flood-affected areas tomorrow and Monday.