AIZAWL: Mizoram police have alleged that their Assam counterpart had erected temporary shelters on the dispute area along the state border with Assam.
The Mizoram police has alleged that the actions of Assam police has created tensions amid parleys to find amicable solution to the vexed border dispute.
The incident came a year after a year after a violent border clash leading to the death of 7 people took place between the two neighbouring states.
Mizoram shares a 164.6 km long boundary with Assam and the two neighbouring states are currently on talks to amicably resolve the long standing border dispute.
SP of Kolasib district in Mizoram – Vanlalfaka Ralte said that the Assam police had erected two temporary bamboo huts on the disputed area just opposite to Mizoram’s first chief minister Ch Chhunga’s paddy field where the border clash had occurred in 2018.
The incident area is contiguous to Hailakandi district in Assam.
However, the two huts were dismantled by the Assam police itself on Monday following reactions from the Mizoram government.
According to him, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga has also spoken to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma and state home minister Lalchamliana to Assam border development and protection minister Atul Bora on the issue.
Also read: Mizoram: Efforts underway to avert famine, 114 villages infested by rodents
Ralte said that Assam officials had conducted a survey in the area last week.
“On learning the survey and attempt of constructing huts, Kolasib deputy commissioner and I, spoke to our Hailakandi counterparts informing them that the area is within the disputed land where both state goverments agree to maintain status-quo,” Ralte said.
Assam officials claimed that they did not aware that it was the deputed area.
“The situation along the inter-state limp back to normalcy after removal of the huts on Monday,” he said.
Ralte further said that they were suspicious that the Assam government is trying to setup permanent police base in the area.
“Any activities, including construction of structure along the disputed areas can hamper the ongoing border talks between the two states,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mizoram’s apex student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) vehemently blamed the Assam government for the incident.
A statement issued by the influential student body on Monday said that the construction of huts by the Assam police on the disputed area in disregard to the status-quo was an insult to the people of Mizoram as well as the peace process between the two states.
Also read: Mizoram in dire need of good internet and phone connectivity: Robert Romawia
A violent clash took place at the same area in March 2018 when MZP functionaries attempted to construct a wooden hut there.
More than 60 people were injured when police charged lathi and opened fire to the protesters in that year.
The border dispute between Mizoram and Assam is a long pending issue, which remained unresolved till date.
Seven people, including a civilian from Assam had died in July last year when forces of both states exchanged fire on the dispute area on the National Highway-306.
Both the states are currently in talks to resolve the vexed border dispute.
Both sides had agreed earlier that no activities should be carried along the inter-state border.
Last month chief ministers of the two states Zoramthanga and Himanta Biswa Sarma met in Delhi over the border issue and agreed to carry on the ongoing ministerial level talks, which was last held in Aizawl in August.
The next round of ministerial level talk is scheduled to be held in Guwahati within this month.