A 16 member team of Assam Police, guided by Google Maps, mistakenly crossed the inter-state border into Nagaland’s Mokokchung district during a late-night raid on January 8, 2024.
Locals were confused by the unexpected intrusion, which created a tense situation where some police officers were held overnight.
Details of the Incident
A police team from Jorhat district in Assam was pursuing a car theft suspect late on Tuesday when the confusion occurred. Relying on Google Maps for navigation, the team was led into what they believed was a tea garden area within Assam.
However, the location turned out to be Yajang village in Nagaland’s Mokokchung district, a sensitive area along the Assam-Nagaland border, which has been fraught with disputes since the 1960s.
The locals, alarmed by the sudden appearance of armed individuals in civilian clothes, mistook the police for miscreants or members of an extremist group. This misunderstanding escalated into a commotion, resulting in one police officer being injured.
The villagers detained 13 members of the team and sought verification of their identities. According to Vesupra Kezo, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Mokokchung, the Assam Police team had not informed the Nagaland authorities or the border magistrate about their entry into the state, further fueling suspicion.
Upon learning of the situation, the Jorhat police contacted their counterparts in Mokokchung, who dispatched a team to the village to mediate. After confirming the identities of the Assam Police personnel, the villagers released five members on Tuesday night, including the injured officer. The remaining officers were held captive overnight and released the following morning.
The Assam Police team later returned to Jorhat, but the incident highlighted the challenges posed by unresolved border disputes and the risks of technological errors in critical operations.
Assam-Nagaland Border Disputes
The Assam-Nagaland border has long been a source of friction, with violent clashes claiming over 150 lives since the 1960s. Tuesday’s incident underscores the need for clear communication between law enforcement agencies in border areas to prevent such misunderstandings.
Kezo emphasized the importance of protocol, stating, “The Assam police personnel are supposed to inform us and the border magistrate before they enter Nagaland.”
Google Maps Mislead?
This is not the first time Google Maps has been blamed for misleading users. Just last month, a family from Bihar traveling to Goa found themselves stranded in Karnataka’s Bhimghad wildlife sanctuary after following directions from the app.
Similarly, in November 2023, three individuals tragically lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh when Google Maps directed their vehicle onto an incomplete bridge, leading to a fall into the Ramganga River.
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