Lailapur locals pelt stones at trucks heading for Mizoram

SILCHAR/AIZAWL: Irate locals of Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district attacked a number of trucks when they were heading for Mizoram on Saturday afternoon.
“At least 12 trucks loaded with essentials were attacked by locals who targeted them with stones when the vehicles started for Mizoram from Assam via NH-306. However, police dispersed them. No one was injured in the incidents,” said a senior police official at Lailapur outpost.
However, despite the effort by the police and administration in Cachar district, who managed to free the highway of the agitators, trucks failed to move towards Mizoram till late in the evening on Saturday, the official added.
“Locals, who are extremely unhappy with the action of the Mizos on July 26 when six Assam policemen were killed and many others injured, agreed to allow trucks to move to Mizoram from Assam side during our meeting with them on Saturday,” Assam minister for GDD, urban development and irrigation Ashok Singhal told the media at Lailapur in the evening.
Singhal, along with minister for environment and forest Parimal Suklabaidya, visited Lailapur along the Assam-Mizoram inter-state border on Saturday to persuade the locals to lift the economic blockade and to create an atmosphere paving the way for restoration of peace and tranquility.
At the direction of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, both the ministers visited the Lailapur Police outpost along the inter-state border and persuaded the locals to allow the free movement of vehicles laden with essentiala to Mizoram and to ease tension along the border.
The ministers, along with the DC, SP and other senior officials of Cachar, held talks with the locals and urged them to withdraw the economic blockade and to create an atmosphere, paving the way for restoration of peace and tranquility along the inter-state border.
“The safety of locals is our responsibility and we assure you all necessary support,” Suklabaidya told the representatives of NGOs, leading citizens of the area, apart from Silchar Truck Drivers’ Association and Nagatilla Truck Owners’ Association. The ministers urged the people to refrain from any further protest or any unwanted circumstances along the routes to Mizoram to ensure smooth flow of essentials to the neighbouring state.