Kohima, Aug. 4: The apex Naga student organisation has cited the alleged rape of a minor by non-tribal labourers to ask “Muslims from Assam” to leave Nagaland.

The Naga Students Federation (NSF), protesting against the alleged rape of a four-year-old girl at Kohima’s Lerie locality last week, asked shopkeepers and traders from the minority community from Karimganj, Nagaon and other parts of Assam to leave. The federation claimed that these people were Bangladeshis.

More than 1,000 migrants gathered at the local ground here in response to an NSF diktat.

The organisation had asked its activists to spread the word that non-tribals should turn up at the meeting “without fail”. The non-tribals did so, fearing reprisal.

“You, who are claiming to be from Karimganj and Nagaon, are Bangladeshis and you do not need to extend your inner-line permits,” said NSF president Achumbemo Kikon.

He said Naga youths would take up their businesses. “Do not try to settle in Dimapur either,” Kikon warned.

More than half the shops in the markets were closed as most of these are run by migrants, some of them allegedly from Bangladesh. The student leaders segregated the “Muslims” and “Biharis” who had gathered at the ground and spoke to them separately.

Members of the Mothers’ Association, too, addressed the crowd.

Shouts of “moraidibi, moraidibi (kill them)” rent the air when the student leader asked what should be done with the alleged rapists.

The four accused are Kabiruddin, Minaj Uddin, Abdul Basir and Abdulsuban, all labourers. Eleven more suspects have been arrested.

The tirade against Muslims was followed by a sermon against Biharis who were reminded of the molestation of a Naga girl on a train passing through Bihar during the crisis over railway recruitment last year.

“We did not do anything then because Nagas are a very accommodative and friendly people,” NSF general secretary . Belho said.

Angry women from Lerie asked if there were any men from the paramedical colony where the rape accused are believed to be staying. Nobody spoke up.

“You have been accepted in this free nation because we are Christians,” a member of the Mothers’ Association said.

The medical superintendent of Nagaland Hospital, who had invited the wrath of the NSF by claiming that there were no “tell-tale” signs of rape, today said the incident may have happened, going by the number of witnesses.