Jorhat, June 23: A joint team of Assam and Nagaland police have launched an operation along the inter-state border in Sivasagar and Mokokchung districts in search of those who opened fire and injured a youth from Tiphuk tea estate in Sivasagar district yesterday.

Jiten Bhumij, who received bullet injuries, has been rushed to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh.

The officer-in-charge of Halwating police station, Simanta Bora, told The Telegraph that Jiten and one of his associates had crossed the inter-state border yesterday to get fodder for cattle when a group of miscreants fired on them from hand-made rifles. "Jiten received bullet injuries and has been rushed to Dibrugarh for better treatment," the police officer said.

He said a team of police personnel from Nagaland arrived in Assam today following a complaint lodged by the Sivasagar district administration to its Mokokchung counterpart in Nagaland.

"We have launched a joint operation to apprehend the culprits. Operations are still on," Bora said.

The border peace coordination committee (Assam-Nagaland) condemned the incident and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. "Such incidents have become a major hurdle in building the bridge of friendship among the people residing along both sides of the border," an official of the committee said. The committee, having members from both states, has been working to cement ties between the people on both sides, who are at loggerheads over the disputed border.

Yesterday's incident was not the first along the inter-state border. A couple of years back a youth from Naginijan tea estate under Mariani police station in Jorhat was allegedly shot dead by goons from the neighbouring state.

Border areas along Golaghat district in Assam also witnessed largescale violence last year when 20 people were killed.

The border conflict dates back to December 1, 1963, when Nagaland was officially declared a state, after a 16-point agreement between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and leaders of the Naga People's Convention.

The Centre pledged to return all Nagaland territory that had been annexed by Britain and made a part of Assam.

This transfer has still not taken place since Nagaland refused to cooperate in a survey of the border suggested by the Sundaram Commission, created in 1972 to look into the matter. In all, about 66,000 hectares of land is in dispute between the states.

The case has been pending in the Supreme Court since 1988 after the Assam government had moved court seeking a permanent solution.

Assam and Nagaland share a 434km border. The interstate border area has been divided for administrative convenience into six sectors - A, B, C, D, E and F - spreading over Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong districts.

Assam alleges that Nagaland has encroached upon 660 square kilometres in areas in these districts.