The spirit of Independence Day was overshadowed by a shocking incident at Merapani, a sensitive town along the Assam–Nagaland border, where three young men from Assam were brutally attacked by a group of alleged Naga miscreants. The assault, which took place on August 15, has once again brought the fragile peace of the border region under scrutiny.
According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the victims — Simsat Basumatary, Subrat Nayak, and Prakash Boro — had travelled from their native village of Kadamguri to a forested area across the inter-state boundary in Nagaland for a picnic. The outing, which was meant to be a simple celebration of the national holiday, turned into a nightmare when the trio encountered a hostile group on their return journey.
The miscreants allegedly launched an unprovoked attack. Two of the youths, Basumatary and Nayak, were mercilessly beaten with sticks and other blunt objects, while Boro was targeted with an air rifle when he attempted to flee. The gunshot hit him, causing profuse bleeding and leaving him in a state of shock.
Despite their injuries, the three somehow managed to escape the assault and reach the Merapani Community Health Centre (CHC), where they were given immediate medical attention. Medical staff, however, soon referred them to Golaghat Civil Hospital for advanced treatment due to the seriousness of their injuries.