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Nagas on the Lakhimpur and Sibsagar Frontiers |
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Section 2. Relations with Tributary States and Frontier Affairs |
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Nagas on the Lakhimpur frontier |
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56. During the year a coolie of the Makum garden was kidnapped by Nagas of the Yogli village. He managed, however, to effect his escape, and returned to the garden. In January 1899 the Deputy Commissioner went up the the Yogli village with the District Superintendant of Police and 14 sepoys of the Lakhimpur Military Police. On reaching Yogli he assembled the villagers, and as the kidnapping was admitted, he asked the chiefs of other villages who were present to assess the penalty that should be imposed on the offending village. After some discussion a fine of Rs. 50 was suggested, and he accepted this finding and realised the fine then and there. Subsequently, with the Chief Commissioner's sanction, a sum of Rs. 20 was given as compensation to the coolie who had been carried off. In the course of the Deputy Commissioner's tour, Malo, the so-called Raja of Tikak, informed him that the people of Yogli had sold two coolies to the Rangpang Nagas. This the people of Yogli partially admitted, so the Deputy Commissioner gave them a month in which to get back the captives, and threatened to burn the village if they failed. Within the time allowed one man was sent in and proved to be also a coolie of the Makum garden, who said he had been kidnapped by Nagas. No corroboration of his story could be obtained, and all enquiries have failed to elicit any information regarding two railway coolies said to be held in captivity by the Rangpang Nagas. The Deputy Commissioner came to the conclusion that the Yogli people had recently sold only one coolie, the man who was returned by the Rangpangs, and not two, as Malo originally stated. |
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The enquiry into the alleged wounding of two Borduaria Nagas by Namsangias, mentioned in last year's report, was completed. The case was as follows:- In February 1898 two Borduaria Nagas returned from the plains to the hills by the usual path and stayed for the night in a hut beyond the Inner Line. This hut is said to have been built by the Borduaria Nagas by the side of the path for the convenience of travellers to and from the plains. During the night certain Namsangias entered the hut and wounded the two occupants with daos. One man died from the effect of his wounds shortly after his arrival at his village, while the other recovered. The Borduaria Raja in his complaint said that the raid was instigated by a son and a cousin of the Namsangia Raja, and pointed out that such acts would prevent his people coming down to the plains. Ang, in fact, the number of Borduaria that came down this year to work in the plains has been much less than usual. After considerable delay both the Namsangia and the Borduaria Rajas came in. The complaint was not established, so no action could be taken on it, but the Deputy Commissioner took the opportunity of warning both Rajas that any outrages committed in our territory or on the path leading down to it from the hills would lead to prompt punishment. They were both made tosign an agreement to abstain from such acts in future. |
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No cases of theft of articles of the Railway Company from Ledo or Tikak were reported during the year. Only one visit of courtesy was paid from the Changnoi Chang. |
