The Mizoram Police has booked Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and several officials of the state on charges of attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy over the violent clashes on the interstate border on July 26 that claimed the lives of six cops and a civilian.
According to reports, besides Sarma, Assam IGP Anurag Aggarwal, DIGP Devojyoti Mukherjee, Cachar DC Keerthi Jalli, Cachar, SP (former) Vaibhav Chandrakant Nimbalkar, forest officer Sunnydeo Choudhury, Dholai police station OC Sahab Uddin, and 200 unidentified Assam Police personnel have been named in the FIR.
The FIR filed by Inspector of Vairengte police station, H Lalchawimawia, stated that the accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act and Mizoram Containment and Prevention of Covid-19 Act 2020.
In the complaint, Mizoram police has accused a team of “200 fully armed” Assam Police personnel led by its IGP of intimidating its own team of 20 officers and attempting to “forcefully occupy” their police camp calling it an encroachment of reserve forest.
“The Mizoram Police were outnumbered and their actions to defend their camp were in vain. Upon learning of this incident, SP Kolasib and party immediately rushed to the area and tried their level best to have an amicable dialogue with Assam Police, but they were not ready to listen to sane argument and instead forcefully informed SP Kolasib that the area falls within Assam territory and they intended to construct a camp as per the instruction of Chief Minister, Assam himself,” the FIR states.
It further states that the Assam Police team had arrived at the spot with tents and other materials accompanied by 20 vehicles with the sole aim of constructing a camp by forcibly occupying the Mizoram BOP.
Countering Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s claim on border clash, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on Friday said it was the Assam Police who had fired first.
“Assam Police fired first. We didn’t. Spoke to Himanta and Shah. We want a peaceful solution. Himanta said he wants a peaceful solution. If needed, we will have a second round of discussions with all CMs,” Zoramthanga said.
The Assam police on Friday issued summons to several prominent faces from Mizoram, including Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena for questioning.
The police visited the residences of the MP in New Delhi to serve the summons.