Nagaon, Jan. 16: Several thousand Hindi-speaking villagers living along the border of Assam?s Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts sent an SOS to Dispur today seeking protection from the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) that is on an extortion spree in the area.

In an urgent missive to chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the residents, under the banner of the Assam Bhojpuri Yuba Chatra Parishad, requested the state government to rein in the militant outfit. The memorandum was submitted to Nagaon deputy commissioner J.B. Ekka, to be forwarded to Gogoi.

The extortion drive of the NDFB, which is under a ceasefire agreement with the Centre, was launched two weeks ago and is mostly confined to Hojai subdivision in Nagaon. The subdivision shares its border with another troubled district, Karbi Anglong.

Sources said the NDFB?s demand notes, ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, are signed by a self-styled ?collection-in-charge? Lt D. Dethsrang. The letters urged the villagers to ?take part in the peace process between the National Democratic Front of Boroland and the government of India by donating money to the revolutionary treasury of NDFB?.

Hojai Bhojpuri Yuba Chatra Parishad president Narendra Prasad Chauhan said here today that the outfit has threatened the people with ?dire consequences? if its demands were not met.

?The villagers approached the police for help after receiving the demand notes. But the steps the police took are not adequate. They have not been able to instil a sense of security among the people,? he said.

Chauhan added that groups of armed NDFB rebels, dressed in combat fatigue, visited the villages and delivered the letters.

A majority of the population in the interiors of Hojai subdivision of Nagaon and in Hamren subdivision of Karbi Anglong are Hindi-speaking sugarcane cultivators.

Commenting on the extortion notes, Nagaon deputy commissioner J.B. Ekka said he had ordered the police to investigate and to take necessary steps. ?We will be able to get a clear picture only after police investigation,? he added.

A Karbi Anglong police source said they were aware of the Bodo outfit?s extortion drive along the district?s border, mainly in places like Lunghing, Dengaon and Parakhowa.

Karbi Anglong deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Nityananda Goswami, said villagers in Karbi Anglong, too, had moved the district administration recently demanding additional security.