A day after a civilian construction worker was allegedly assaulted and kidnapped by Assam police, a Kolasib based organisation on Friday demanded both the Mizoram and Assam governments to compensate its member, who is undergoing treatment at his residence in Kolasib town following the alleged assault.
A statement issued by Kolasib Excavator Backhoe Loader Operator Association (KEBOA) has expressed disappointment over the attack on its member and accused the Mizoram government of being responsible for the incident as it failed to provide security protection despite written assurance.
It claimed that its member was constructing a road at Aitlang area near Vairengte town in Kolasib district after a written assurance from the district magistrate to provide protection.
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The association said that its member Lalnarammawia, a resident of Kolasib’s Vengthar, who was operating an eath excavator, had been allegedly brutally assaulted by personnel of Assam police while working at a road construction site near the Assam border on Thursday.
It said that the victim is in serious condition as he has suffered bone fractures on his ribs, bleeding in his ears and also urinating with blood because of the assault.
“We demand the Assam government to give compensation to the victim for the assault. We also ask the Mizoram government to compensate him for failing to protect him,” the statement signed by the association general secretary Zohmingthanga Tlau said.
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The association further asked the Mizoram government to take measures to ensure that the victim’s mobile phone and excavator’s key are returned to him at the earliest.
Kolasib Deputy Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana had on Thursday written to his Hailakandi counterpart Rohan Kumar Jha seeking the latter’s intervention into the alleged assault and kidnap of a Mizoram resident by Assam police.
However, Assam officials levelled counter allegation stating Mizoram was constructing a road inside Assam’s territory and the state police were preventing the workers.
Lalthlangliana alleged that the incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when Lalnarammawia and others were working at a road construction site.
An excavator had been hired by farmers for road construction. Assam police went to the spot, disrupted construction work and damaged the earth excavator, the letter alleged.
Policemen also snatched the excavator’s key from the operator, who was blindfolded and kidnapped, the Mizoram official alleged.
“The excavator operator was blindfolded and kidnapped with a gun pointed at his head by Assam Police wearing Commando uniform. He was then dragged to the river and threatened. His mobile phone along with excavator keys were taken by the Assam Police,” the letter had claimed.
Rohan Kumar Jha has meanwhile alleged that Mizoram is again making camps and carrying out road construction inside Assam’s territory.
He told reporters that the Assam police confronted the driver for entering Assam territory and nothing illegal was done to him.