Assam & Mizoram issue border row joint statement; 'will find solution through dialogue'

Following the July 26 incident in which six Assam police officers were slain, Assam Ministers Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal will travel to Aizawl on August 5 to meet with Mizoram government officials in an attempt to defuse border tensions. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Twitter that the ministers will travel to Mizoram's capital with a message of peace from the people of Assam. Yesterday, he Twitted, "Two of my senior colleagues Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal will visit Aizawl tomorrow with a message of peace from the people of Assam."

The governments of Assam and Mizoram released a joint statement on Thursday, stating they will carry forward the initiatives of the Home Ministry and respective chief ministers to de-escalate tensions along the inter-state boundary and find long-term solutions to disputes through dialogue.

What the statement said

"The government of Assam and Mizoram welcome and agree to take forward the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and Hon'ble Cheif Minister of Assam and Mizoram to remove tensions prevailing around the inter-State borders and to find lasting solutions to the disputes through discussions", read the first paragraph of the statement. It went on to say that the Mizoram government expresses its condolences for those who died on July 26th and wishes those who were injured a speedy recovery. Both governments pledged to keep calm along with the inter-State border areas and praised the deployment of the Indian government's neutral force in this regard.

What happened on and after July 26th

On July 26, the border conflict between Assam and Mizoram erupted, resulting in the deaths of six Assam police officers and one civilian in a ferocious fire battle between the two states' forces. The tragedy resulted in the injuries of at least 50 individuals. Following the incident, six CRPF companies were deployed as neutral forces to the disputed area. The Assam government reported a day after the clash that Mizoram had started constructing a road towards Rengti Basti in Assam, "damaging the Inner Line Reserve Forest in Lailapur area," in "another breach" of previous agreements and the existing status quo.

(Inputs from ANI)

Tweet- @ANI