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Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs |
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Nagas on the Lakhimpur frontier |
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20. It was reported that the Rangpang or trans-Patkoi Nagas had attacked Saban, Chomdang, and Wasek, Naga villages beyond the Inner Line. The inhabitants of six houses of these Naga villages escaped to Longfang, a Naga village, which is a day's journey from Margherita. The Rangpang Nagas are said to have threatened this village. Neither the Saban nor other Nagas came in to complain. Five Namsangiya Naga slaves came down to Jaipur in July 1893 owing to ill-treatment received at the hands of the chief. The chief, Rangbang, who is the same man who was convicted in 1888 of kidnapping and afterwards killing Nagas who had absconded to British territory, came down in search of the slaves and stated that if he found them he would take them back. He was warned of the consequences of any such act. The slaves were ordered to remove to Margherita but have since been allowed to live in Bamunikoria village north of the Dehing river near Tengakhat. A Naga named Manrai, living on the Dehing near Jaipur, complained that a woman named Nimin had eloped to the Namsang Naga chief, Rangbang, in the hills. As the woman went of her own accord, the Deputy Commissioner declined to interfere. |
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Two coolies of the Railway Company at Ledo and Tikak returned from the hills and stated that they had been detained by the Nagas as slaves and that there were other coolies and cattle in Naga villages. The matter is under enquiry. |
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During the year under report large numbers of Nagas were employed on work connected with tea gardens and mines in the district. One company had more than 2,000 Nagas working at one time and an average of over 300 daily for several months. Numerous thefts of cattle, iron, etc. have been reported to have been committed by the Nagas, six of whom were sentenced to terms of rigorous imprisonment and five to whipping with 10 to 25 stripes each. |
