Mizoram Border Clash: According to local media reports, 50 Assam police personnel were admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital and six jawan dead, Latest news Mizoram border dispute at Firstpost
The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as ‘Aitlang hnar’ about 5 km from Vairengte, accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory. News18 Hindi
Six personnel of the Assam Police died “defending the constitutional boundary” of the state at the Mizoram border, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday, in an ugly turn to a festering border dispute between the two northeastern states.
Local media reports said about 50 Assam police personnel were admitted to a hospital in Silchar with some of them suffering serious injuries.
I am deeply pained to inform that six brave jawans of @assampolice have sacrificed their lives while defending constitutional boundary of our state at the Assam-Mizoram border.
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 26, 2021
It was not immediately known what caused the fatal injuries but videos that surfaced on social media showed mobs gathering at the controversial border point. There were reports of lathicharge and firing from the border area, which lies over Assam’s Cachar district and Mizoram’s Kolasib district.
The incident took place close on the heels of home minister Amit Shah’s visit to the region, where he held a meeting with CMs of the northeastern states. The border dispute between Assam and Mizoram was raised during the talks.
Earlier on Monday, Shah had asked the chief ministers of both the states to find a solution to the border dispute. Both Assam and Mizoram had agreed to resolve the issue and maintain peace, according to sources.
Eight Mizo farm huts set on fire
Tension flared along the border after eight farmers’ huts were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants, a senior police officer said on Monday.
Mizoram Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range), Lalbiakthanga Khiangte, told PTI that at least eight unoccupied farm huts near Aitlang stream in the trouble-torn area were torched around 11.30 pm on Sunday.
He said these belonged to farmers from Vairengte, the nearest border village from Assam.
Complaints have been lodged by owners of the huts at Vairengte police station and investigation is underway, Khiangte said.
Assam-Mizoram border dispute
The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as ‘Aitlang hnar’ about 5 km from Vairengte, accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory.
Several crops and betel nut trees belonging to a Mizoram farmer were also reportedly damaged during the “eviction drive”, as claimed by Assam Police and officials at Buarchep near Phainuam village, on 10 July.
On the same day, a grenade was allegedly hurled on an Assam government team visiting the border by unknown people.
Both the states have been blaming each other for two back-to-back explosions across the border in the early hours of 11 July.
CM of both states seek Amit Shah’s intervention
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga had raised the border issue during the meeting with his counterparts from other northeastern states on Sunday, officials said.
He informed the home minister that border disputes among states of the region is a legacy issue of the colonial era, they said.
Zoramthanga had also said that large tracts of land claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary have been used for collection of forest produce and cultivation for more than 100 years by the people of Mizoram.
The chief minister took to Twitter and posted a video of a mob clashing with the police at the Assam-Mizoram border.
Shri @AmitShah ji….kindly look into the matter.
This needs to be stopped right now.#MizoramAssamBorderTension @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @himantabiswa @dccachar @cacharpolice pic.twitter.com/A33kWxXkhG
— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) July 26, 2021
In another tweet, he said that a couple on their way back to Mizoram from Cachar were “manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons”.
Innoncent couple on their way back to Mizoram via Cachar manhandled and ransacked by thugs and goons.
How are you going to justify these violent acts?@dccachar @cacharpolice @DGPAssamPolice pic.twitter.com/J9c20gzMZQ
— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) July 26, 2021
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “Honble @ZoramthangaCM ji, Kolasib (Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won’t listen nor stop violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest.”
Honble @ZoramthangaCM ji , Kolasib ( Mizoram) SP is asking us to withdraw from our post until then their civilians won’t listen nor stop violence. How can we run government in such circumstances? Hope you will intervene at earliest @AmitShah @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/72CWWiJGf3
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 26, 2021
Zoramthanga, however, shot back, “As discussed I kindly urge that Assam Police be instructed to withdraw from Vairengte for the safety of civilians”.
Dear Himantaji, after cordial meeting of CMs by Hon’ble Shri @amitshah ji, surprisingly 2 companies of Assam Police with civilians lathicharged & tear gassed civilians at Vairengte Auto Rickshaw stand inside Mizoram today. They even overrun CRPF personnel /Mizoram Police. https://t.co/SrAdH7f7rv
— Zoramthanga (@ZoramthangaCM) July 26, 2021
Mizoram shares a 164.6-km-long inter-state border with Assam.
With inputs from PTI