Guwahati: The indefinite road blockade along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, initiated by Mising community organisations, has been temporarily suspended following a telephonic conversation between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
The protest, led by the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK), and Takam Mising Mime Kebang (TMMK), began on Monday with the blockade of seven key roads linking the two states.
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The agitation was in response to the alleged killings of two youths from the Mising community — Prabash Doley (22) and Shankar Pegu (29) — in separate incidents in Arunachal Pradesh within the span of a month.
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Following assurances from both state governments regarding prompt investigation and inter-state coordination, the organisations decided to pause the agitation. A joint meeting with all stakeholders is expected to be held within the next three days.
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In a statement, TMPK expressed appreciation for the intervention by both chief ministers and Assam’s chief secretary. The group clarified that the suspension of the protest was a temporary measure to allow the official process to take its course.
Arunachal Pradesh Inspector General of Police Chukhu Apa, addressing a press conference in Itanagar, said that both murder cases were being investigated with urgency. He stated that the incidents appeared to be individual criminal acts rather than targeted attacks, and directed district police units to ensure the safety of workers from Assam.
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In the first case on June 18, Prabash Doley, a labourer from Misamora village in Assam’s Dhemaji district, was allegedly killed in Chimpu, Itanagar, following a dispute. The accused, Tai John, has been arrested and booked under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police recovered blood-stained weapons and clothing from his residence. Forensic reports are awaited before filing the chargesheet.
In the second case on July 13, Shankar Pegu, a labourer from Borajuli village in Biswanath district, was allegedly shot by his employer, Tadar Bhai, in the Roing-Tezu area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley. The accused transported Pegu to a hospital in Naharlagun, where he died the next morning. A case has been registered under Section 103(1) of the BNS and Section 27(1) of the Arms Act. The accused is in custody.
IGP Apa also confirmed that the victims’ families will receive compensation under the state’s victim compensation scheme, and that efforts are underway to fast-track the legal proceedings.