Inmates at one of the camps in Uriam Ghat
For almost a decade, some residents of Assam and Nagaland have been fighting over a 25-bigha area - no bigger than 20 football fields - in Golaghat district. The latest chapter of this ongoing violence has killed 15 people.
But those are just the official figures. Around 10,000 locals, who have taken refuge in Uriam Ghat -- 20 km inside Assam's territory in Golaghat -- claim the actual figure is much, much higher.
The people have been filtering into the camps for over the week. Naga miscreants, they say, burned over 200 houses across seven border villages.
Today, their anger spilled onto Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who had come to visit them. Roundly abused by the mob, Mr Gogoi had to be rescued by his security personnel.
"Naga insurgents raid our villages and extort money. They shoot us. Where do we go?" said Monoj Das, one of the camp inmates. "The government asks us to not to leave. Do they want us to stay here till we die?" another young man added angrily.
The Golaghat story is part of the Assam-Nagaland border dispute, which has been on for 50 years, ever since Nagaland achieved statehood. Each side accuses the other of encroachment.
The 25-bigha area, part of the one lakh-odd-bigha Disputed Area Border, is a classic case. The plot officially belongs to the Assam forest department, to which a Naga and an Assamese landowner staked claim. Neither had proper documents and in absence of it, the violence continues.
Despite mediation by the Supreme Court, the dispute over the border areas is yet to be resolved. The last round of mediation took place in Delhi over a year ago. As per the interim agreement, the disputed area was placed under the control of Central forces.
But with locals accusing the forces of inaction, it does not appear as though the states or the Centre, have really tried to implement it.
"It is natural for people to be angry. I have been complaining for long that the Central forces are not doing their job. I need the Centre to become proactive," Mr Gogoi said.