Border violence: Home Minister calls up CMs of Assam, Nagaland

Concerned over unabated violence along Assam-Nagaland border, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday telephoned chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland and asked them to defuse tension along the borders of the two states.

Singh told Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Nagaland counterpart T R Zelian that violence along the border must end at the earliest and all possible steps should be taken to defuse tension.

Official sources said the Home Minister told Gogoi and Zelian that action must be taken against those who indulge in violence and police must maintain restraint while facing peaceful protesters.

The Home minister suggested that the chief ministers should sit across the table and find out ways on how to bring harmony between the people of Assam and Nagaland living along the border.

Singh offered Gogoi and Zelian all Central assistance to bring back normalcy along the Assam-Nagaland border.

He also conveyed to them that Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju will travel to Guwahati tomorrow to take stock of the situation and talk to both the chief ministers.

Zelian will be in Assam capital tomorrow to attend a meeting of chief ministers of all northeastern states.

The Home minister's action came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought a report on the situation along Assam-Nagaland border where tension prevailed after killing of 9 people in Assam's Golaghat district by armed groups allegedly from Nagaland.