Mizoram Police have refuted the Bangladeshi government’s allegation that armed separatist terror groups from Bangladesh have set up camps in certain areas in the state.
The Mizoram deputy inspector general of police (northern range), Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said there is no such presence of any Bangladeshi separatists’ hideout in the state as claimed by the neighbouring country.
“We have enquired and investigated the matter following reports in a section of media, but no such militant camp was discovered. This is not the first time, but the Bangladeshi government used to allege the presence of hideouts set up by separatist groups from Bangladesh in Mizoram almost every year,” he said.
Citing that Mizoram is a militant-free state, all the militant groups like Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D) and Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF), which were earlier active in Mizoram, have already come overground, the top cop said on Wednesday.
He said as far as the police knowledge is concerned, there is no existence of any camp set up by militant groups from foreign countries in Mizoram.
While the BNLF laid down arms before the Mizoram government in July 2005, the HPC(D) signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Mizoram government in April, 2018, which ended over a two-decade-old Hmar political imbroglio.
“After the surrender of BNLF and HPC(D), there is no active operation of militants or separatist groups in Mizoram,” Khiangte said.
Reports said Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) had on December 25 alleged that armed separatist terror groups from Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts had set up camps in Mizoram.
The Bangladeshi government in its statement expressed concern over the alleged presence of armed terror group hideouts somewhere in Mizoram and asked the Government of India to destroy them.
Meanwhile, the Mizoram government said it would impose stricter rules to ban firecrackers and other pyrotechnics materials during the festive season.
Earlier, the state government banned the bursting of firecrackers, use of sky lanterns and other pyrotechnics materials including toy guns during the festive season to curb pollutions, which could aggravate the respiratory problems of COVID19 patients and others.
Sources said the Mizoram Police on Tuesday seized firecrackers and other fireworks materials worth over Rs 1 lakh at Chawnpui Veng and Kanan Veng in Aizawl.
Mizoram additional director general of police (ADGP) Shanliana said any person found violating the rules by burning firecrackers and using other fireworks during the festive season will be punished under the existing law with imprisonment of a period which may extend up to 6 months or a fine of Rs 1,000 or both.