Defence Ministry clarifies NSF border stoppage was regulatory issue, not identity-based

The Defence Ministry's Public Relations Officer for Manipur, Nagaland and Southern Arunachal Pradesh has clarified that the stoppage of a Naga Students' Federation delegation at Avangkhu in Meluri district on September 19 was due to lack of required authorization, not the delegation's identity or purpose.

Eight persons in three vehicles arrived at the Indo-Myanmar border crossing intending to travel to Tsera in Myanmar but could not produce a valid Border Pass or official permission from competent authorities. The PRO emphasized the action was purely regulatory compliance, not a denial of cultural or people-to-people contact.

The PRO noted that cross-border movement under Free Movement Regime applies only to eligible residents of villages within 10 km of the border on either side. Since the delegation travelled from Kohima, it was not legally entitled to automatic border crossing based on reference letters or cultural-exchange proposals.