Assam-Mizoram Border Dispute: Police Allegedly Fire At Mizoram Residents, Tension Flares Up
Weeks after six Assam Police personnel were killed in violent clash at the Assam-Mizoram border, tension along the disputed inter-state boundary escalated on Tuesday after an incident of fresh firing.
Mizoram alleged that Assam Police personnel fired on its civilians injuring one. However, Assam claimed that miscreants from the other side of the border sprayed bullets on them first, after which its police force retaliated.
Aftermath of July 26 clashes
On July 26, a violent clash broke between police forces of Assam and Mizoram, in which six Assam police personnel and a civilian were killed and over 50 others injured. A process of rapprochement between the two north-eastern states is on.
The Tuesday's incident took place at around 2 am at the disputed Aitlang area bordering Assam's Hailakandi district, according to Mizoram's Kolasib district Deputy Commissioner H Lalthlangliana, PTI reported.
What happened
The clash broke out after when three residents of Vairengte town went Aitlang area to collect meat from a friend, a resident of Bilaipur in Assam.?The Assam Police personnel, who were guarding the inter-state border, opened fired at the civilians, injuring one, Lalthlangliana claimed.
The official claims that on reaching the designated meeting spot, the three heard a ¡°loud whistle¡±, apparently from their friend. However, when they whistled back, they claimed Assam Police, who were on duty near the border, fired at them in the dark, after which the group fled.
Assam's version
According to an official in Hailakandi district, Assam Police were manning a hill (on the Assam side), close to the Mizoram border. ¡°Around 2am, the officials sensed that some people were moving tactically in the area. Our officials asked them to identify themselves but they did not answer and suddenly they opened fire at us. In retaliation, Assam police also fired. After that, they disappeared¡it was very dark.¡± Next morning, police conducted a search but could not find anyone in the area.?
Mizoram's version
According to Mizoram Police, while the group managed to reach Vairengte unharmed, one person sustained injuries on the arm. Kolasib¡¯s Lalthlangliana has written a letter to his Hailakandi counterpart with a request that they ¡°look into the matter and take immediate action.¡± A case has been registered in the Vairengte police station at Kolasib district in Mizoram.
Currently, both the state police forces are stationed at the spot. An Assam official said the ¡°two sides were communicating¡± and the situation at the border was ¡°fully under control but tense.¡±According to officials on both the sides of the border, both the states are constructing roads in their respective territories.
