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Updated July 27th, 2021 at 08:55 IST

'Assam Police showed remarkable restraint': Himanta Sarma counters Mizoram on border clash

In an official statement issued late Monday night, the Assam government urged Mizoram to restrain its people and police from indulging in wanton violence.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Assam, Mizoram
Image: ANI/PTI | Image:self
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In an official statement issued late Monday night, the Assam government urged Mizoram to restrain its people and police from indulging in wanton violence. The tensions between the two states over the border dispute escalated on July 26 after clashes took place between the respective police forces. As per the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government, the row started when Mizoram allegedly breached the existing status quo by commencing the construction of a road towards Rengti Basti thus "destroying" the Inner Line Forest Reserve in the Lailapur area.

The other flashpoint was the construction of an armed camp next to the CRPF camp in the same vicinity. When a team of Assam officials went to the area to defuse the situation on Monday morning, they were allegedly attacked by a mob of miscreants who were supported by the Mizoram Police. The Assam government noted, "The aggressive behaviour and posturing of this mob along with the fact that they were brandishing weapons and wearing helmets is clearly seen in all available video footage". 

It added, "Horrifically, even while SP, Kolasib was in talks with the Assam officers, the Mizoram Police opened fire on the Assam officials and civilians who had by then gathered there, from two dominating high features with automatic weapons including LMGs". This resulted in the death of 5 Assam police personnel- Swapan Roy, Liton Suklabaidya, MH Barbhuyia, N Hussain and S Barbhuyia and left more than 50 persons injured including Cachar SP Vaibhav Nimbalkar who has been admitted to the ICU. Maintaining that the Assam Police showed "remarkable restraint", it reiterated the commitment to maintain cordial relations and peace. 

Here is the Assam government's full statement: 

Mizoram accuses Assam of aggression

Earlier, the Mizoram government put out a different version of events placing the blame squarely on Assam. Speaking to the media, Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana asserted that around 200 Assam Police personnel came to the Vairengte autorickshaw stand and overran a duty post manned by the state police thereafter. Furthermore, he accused the Assam Police of lathi charging and firing tear gas at unarmed civilians when they reached the site to inquire about the situation, leading to several injuries.

According to him, the Mizoram Police personnel fired at the Assam counterparts only after the latter launched tear gas grenades at them. Meanwhile, CRPF ADG Sanjeev Jain told ANI that automatic weapons were fired from both sides. After Union Home Minister Amit Shah was apprised of the situation, the CRPF was directed to take control of the situation between 4-4.30 pm. Shah also spoke to Sarma and Mizoram CM Zoramthanga who agreed to withdraw their police forces from the site. 

Incidentally, the Mizoram Chief Minister had raised the border issue at the meeting of North-East Chief Ministers chaired by Shah on July 24. Calling the dispute a legacy of the colonial era, he called upon the Assam government to withdraw its police camping in the fields of Mizo farmers since June 29. Zoramthanga opined, "The large tract of areas claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary has been used for collection of forest producers and for shifting and settled cultivation for the past 100 plus years by the people of Mizoram, and that Assam started claiming these areas only fairly recently due to population pressure apparently caused by the large-scale influx of migrants from outside Barak valley". 

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Published July 27th, 2021 at 08:05 IST

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