IMPHAL, April 21: Following tension on the Manipur-Nagaland border at Jessami town, local MLA MK Preshow Shimray today rushed to the border town along with the IGP (LO-III) Asutoshkumar Sinha.
A media team accompanied the MLA on his first ever visit to the border town after his election.
Situation worsened with Jessami villagers ransacking the police station yesterday in protest against state inaction against frequent incursions by Nagaland state forces and armed villagers from neighbouring Nagaland village Mellori.
After the recent recent kidnapping of six persons belonging to Manipur including one VDF personnel, Mellori villagers had begun to occupy land about 4 kms towards Jessami from Akash bridge which links Manipur and Nagaland.
As state forces remained mute spectators to the illegal encroachment, infuriated Jessami villagers stormed the police station.
Briefing newsmen on his meeting with the state Home Minister Gaikhangam MLA Preshow said, he had requested the Home Minister to re-deploy the IRB company which was withdrawn some time back from jessami.
The Home Minister assured him that, an IRB company would be sent to Jessami after consultations with the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
MLA Preshow also brought to the notice of the Home Minister the inadequacy of police and MR/IRB strength in Ukhrul District.
Following the visit of the local MLA and the IGP, the Deputy Commissioner i/c of Ukhrul T John, IAS and Commandant of 6th Manipur Rifles TK Anal, MPS rushed to Jessami along with reinforcements. The Superintendant of Police K Kabib was already stationed at Jessami.
Meanwhile, Mellori villagers who had been camping inside Manipur territory left early morning today, following the state action from Manipur.
The Chingai MLA Preshow Shimray after reaching Jessami convened a meeting of village elders and leaders at the Jessami community hall to thrash out the controversy.
The meeting was attended by IGP Asutoshkumar Sinha, SP K Kabib, CO 6th MR and DC in charge T John and Jessami Village Council Chairman Eyete Wezah.
The claim of Mellori villagers that there are ancestral lands inside Manipur territory even though the border is at Akash Bridge was discussed at length at the meeting.
MLA Shimray assured the villagers that everything could be sorted out at the level of the chief Ministers of both the states.
He along with the civil and police officials will conduct a on the spot survey of the disputed area tomorrow and a report would be placed before the Chief Minister as soon as he returns to Imphal, he added.
It may be mentioned that the area has remained gripped by tension since April 18, when six Jessami villagers were forcibly abducted by villagers of Mellori in Nagaland. The six were later released after severe physical assault. A VDF driver had sustained severe injuries and is presently being treated at the Shija Hospitals.