NSCN extortion demand creates panic

Naga rebel group Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah has served extortion notice to the superintendent of Haflong civil hospital in North Cachar hill district of Assam creating panic among the doctors and staff as well as triggering a strong protest against the extortion bid.

The NSCN-IM served the extortion notice to Dr Prodip Barooah, the hospital superintendent on a letter  bearing the heading 'Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim' (GPRN) asking him to collect and pay 24 per cent of the annual income of each hospital employee as 'employee tax' to the outfit. The notice is datelined Camp Hebron, the headquarters of the NSCN-IM which has been in negotiations with government of Indian since 1997.

The extortion notice has created panic among hospital staff who have staged protest in hospital compound demanding adequate security against the extortionists. A source in the hill district informed that some rebel outfit had abducted Dr Nityananda Naiding of the civil hospital from his official residence last month to be released later on payment of ransom money.

In the March this year another doctor was abducted and later released on payment of Rs 10 lakh to the abductors.
The hospital staff demands adequate security in and around the compound of the hospital which doesn't have even proper boundary wall though there is a police picket within the campus.

Several groups including both the Naga rebel factions, NCSN –IM, NSCN-K, Dimasa National Democratic Front and some Kuki militant groups have served extortion notices to all sections of people including teachers, doctors in different parts of the hill district exposing the helplessness of the administration there.