Golaghat, Aug 23: The proposed eviction of 59 families from No. 2 Negheribil along the Assam-Nagaland border in Golaghat district has triggered fresh tension after a Nagaland-based organisation claimed that the disputed land falls within Nagaland.The Lotha Lower Range Public Organisation (LLRPO) claimed that the area falls under Lugayum and Mikirang villages in Nagaland and urged the Nagaland government to intervene against what it described as a unilateral eviction drive by Assam. The organisation also claimed to possess documents showing that some of the present residents had purchased land in the area and sought immediate intervention from the Nagaland government to stop the eviction process. The claim has drawn strong reactions from residents and organisations in Assam, who rejected it and accused the Nagaland-based organisation of attempting to interfere in Assam’s affairs. Raju Narah, village head of No. 2 Negheribil, said families had been living in the area since the 1960s. “Since 1960, our forefathers have been living here. How can it be Nagaland’s land? I was born here and grew up here, so this is our land. Just because they claim it does not make it theirs,” Narah said. The dispute centres on an eviction drive initiated by the Assam Forest Department against alleged illegal settlements in the area. In 2025, eviction notices were reportedly served on 205 families, following which 146 families were evicted. The remaining 59 families approached the court, temporarily halting further eviction proceedings. Following court directions and subsequent legal procedures, the district administration and Forest Department on August 16 announced steps to issue notices, carry out demarcation and proceed with further action concerning the remaining settlements. The LLRPO’s latest claim has added a fresh dimension to the long-standing sensitivities surrounding the Assam-Nagaland border. Reports by Nagaland-based media outlets on the organisation’s demand have also triggered anger among residents of Merapani and several Assam-based organisations. A leader of the TMPK rejected the LLRPO’s claim, saying the residents had been living on the land for generations. “They claimed it is their land. That is false because we were born here and grew up here. This is the land of Assam,” the TMPK leader said. The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) also strongly objected to the claim. AJYCP leader Nikunj Medhi questioned why the organisation had not raised the issue when the eviction was carried out in August 2025. “Where were they when the Assam government carried out the eviction on August 8, 2025? They did not say anything then. They cannot suddenly come forward and claim the land as theirs,” Medhi said. He also questioned whether land purchased by people from Nagaland in Guwahati would subsequently be claimed as part of Nagaland, and warned the organisation against what he described as baseless claims.