[ Taba Ajum ]
KIMIN, Aug 31: A resident of Buka village in Kimin administrative circle of Papum Pare district was beaten up by villagers of Assam here on Sunday evening.
The incident reportedly took place when victim Likha Nikh was on his way home. The people of Buka village have to use the road that passes through Assam, in the absence of a road within Arunachal’s territory in the area.
Confirming the incident, Kimin ADC Likha Tejji informed that the victim has lodged an FIR at the Dolahat police station.
“There are constant reports of people from Assam side harassing the Arunachalees who use the road that passes through Assam territory. The constant harassment of Arunachalees has become a matter of serious concern,” the ADC said.
Buka is one of the oldest villages of Papum Pare district. But due to continued harassment by the people and officials of Assam, many Arunachalees have fled from the area and migrated to safer places.
“If this continues, soon no Arunachalee will live in this place. The majority of the land has already been grabbed by Assam in Buka. They harass Arunachalees, and when our people migrate, they start capturing the land. This trend has been going on for the last many years,” said a local resident.
Buka village does not have a road connection and depends on Assam for it, making things more difficult.
“There is an urgent need to speed up the Doimukh-Kimin road project which will provide the much-needed road connection within Arunachal’s territory. This project too has been regularly disturbed by Assam. The state government should provide police security, so that the road project is completed at the earliest,” the villager added.
