15. Two cases of theft from the Ledo Valley Colliery east mine were reported during the year under review.
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In the first case the thieves could not be detected. The Sarkari Nagas were, however, warned that they would be held responsible in future fore these incidents, and consequently in the second case some 30 Sarkari Nagas with the political 'horkora' caught ten Rangpang Nagas red-handed with stolen iron in their possession on the Ledo Stream. These Nagas were made over the the Margherita thana. Eight escaped owing to the gross carelessness of the writer-constable. One of the escaped Nagas was subsequently recaptured at the Tirap river by two of the Sarkari Nagas living there and brought into Dibrugarh. A fine of Rs. 300 was imposed on, and realised from. the villages of the thieves, and they were released after receiving in the Margherita bazar 20 stripes each with a cane.
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Some days after the payment of the fine of Rs. 300 by the Rangpang Nagas their friends, the Togli Nagas, paid Rs. 200 as fine on account of the theft referred to in paragraph 13 of the last year's report, and requested the Deputy Commissioner to allow them to come down to the plains for trade. Besides this, while the Deputy Commissioner was at Panchun village on the Buri Dihung river in January last, some Rangpang Naga chiefs, who appreciate the value of free intercourse with us, also requested him to remove the ban on the Rangpangs from visiting our territory.
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The Deputy Commissioner accepted the fine of Rs. 200 paid by the Yogli Nagas, and allowed all Rangpangs, including the Yoglis, to resume trade with us. This action was approved by the Chief Commissioner.
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The extension of the northern and eastern boundaries of the Lakhimpur district, as sanctioned by the Government of India last year, was undertaken during the year under report and the revised boundary was demarcated.
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Sanction to the Deputy Commissioner's proposal to assess the Nagas living within the new boundary to house-tax of Rs. 2 per house, from 1st January 1905, was given, and steps were taken to collect the taxes.
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In the month of March 1905, while 13 Nagas of Khunma village (under the Borduar Raja) were returning to their village by the Borduarias' path from Jaipur, they were greeted with a volley from the jungle at a spot called Koilapahar, about 4 miles within the Inner Line. Two of their number fell, and the rest, escaping to Jaipur, reported the matter to their Raja, who was at the time at Kheremia village in Jaipur. The hands, heads and feet of the victims were cut off and taken away. It is the impression of the Borduarias that the assailants belonged to Khullung and Bormithun villages (two of the villages under the Bormithun chief), and that the attack was made at the instigation of the Namsang chief. The statement of the Borduarias was corroborated by the evidence of some Khullung Nagas, who came to Dibrugarh and stated that they were sent in by their Raja to say that the two Khunma Nagas were killed by his men alone under his orders, and not by the Borduarias and Khullungs jointly as alleged by the Borduarias. The case was under enquiry at the close of the year. The Namsang Raja in the meantime is being detained at Dibrugarh.
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A Kaya shop-keeper was murdered in Nahorpukri in Abhaipur, Baruasali mauza, by three Nagas of Khulunia Chang, and his shop looted. The Nagas were tried in the Sessions Court, and one of them sentences to death and the other two to transportation for life.
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With the exception of the above cases, nothing of importance occurred, and out relations with the Nagas were peaceful and their general conduct good.
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The extension of the district boundary to the Tizu river, referred to in last year's report, was accepted without demur by the people concerned. The villages in the area of political control paid their house-tax without any difficulty. The rates assessed this year were two rupees per house for Angami villages and one rupee for Semas, but next year full rates will be levied. The villages lying beyond the range containing the Nummah peak have not so far been assessed, and will not pay house tax until the new road on which they are working is completed.
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A considereable number of raids by trans-Semas on independent villages occurred during the year.
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The Aishan Kukis, who have been prominently mentioned in the last two annual reports, gave no trouble. They oppress the naked villages near them, but scrupulously abstain from interfering with our subjects
