Jorhat, Feb. 23: Tension is brewing in the disputed D-Sector of Assam-Nagaland border with reports of villagers on the Assam side of the border fleeing the area apprehending a repeat of the 1985 Merapani incident.

The villagers were allegedly threatened by Nagaland police personnel to vacate the land since Merapani belonged to that state. Several persons, including policemen, died in a bloody clash between the two states over the border issue in 1985.

Assam minister of state for home Rockybul Hussain visited the border area in Golaghat district yesterday to take stock of the situation.

Golaghat deputy commissioner John Ekka denied the mass exodus of villagers. “Maybe a few villagers residing on the foothills on the Assam side have vacated the area,” he said.

Ekka said the villagers might be agitated due to the Nagaland chief minister’s visit to the seed farm area in Merapani on Feburary 14 to oversee its development. Rio had reportedly advised the Naga villagers to settle in the area to prevent encroachment by Assam.

He said the 1,000-acre farm area in Merapani belonged to Assam and had been given on lease to Nagaland for 30 years in 1963. “They have since been occupying the land,” he added.

Nagaland claims that the area was not covered by the Assam-Nagaland interim agreement of 1972.

The Naga Students’ Federation has supported the chief minister’s claim that Assam was encroaching the land of that state. The students’ federation said there should be no border dispute at all as the entire Merapani area belonged to the Nagas.

The deputy commissioner, under whose jurisdiction Merapani falls, said the district administration has taken all precautionary measures following the development. “There is nothing to fear for the Assam villagers,” he said.