Dibya Kamal Bordoloi
Guwahati: Union home secretary has summoned Assam and Mizoram DGPs and Chief Secretaries to New Delhi to discuss the ongoing border tension. Home minister Amit Shah talked with both Assam and Mizoram chief ministers regarding the firing incident on Monday evening, Assam Chief Minister told the media. On the other hand, the Assam government decided to move to the Supreme Court seeking a permanent solution to the ongoing Assam-Mizoram border disputes.
Chief minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the media that "Assam will abide by the decision taken by the central government regarding the settlement of border disputes." Dr. Sarma said it is the purview of the central government to demarcate the boundary of two Indian states and the Assam government is continuously trying to maintain the status quo". Dr. Sarma further said that Home Minister Amit Shah continuously monitoring the situation and the home minister spoke with both the chief ministers several times. Dr. Sarma reached Silchar this morning and takes stock of the situation. Talking to the media he further said in last two months Assam government has cut the trade route of drugs rackets via its border to India.
Moreover 10 thousand people entered Mizoram from Myanmar and they want to cross the Assam border and enter the hill district Dima Hasao. Assam police have prevented that too. On the other hand, the proposed cattle protection bill creates rumors in the neighbouring state that there will be scarcity of beef in the region. So a vested interested non state section might be angry with the government of Assam decision and those people might have provoked the locals in Mizoram side to take the law in their hand on Monday evening. He said videos of locals attacking Assam police with guns are circulated now.
Dr. Sarma urged the Mizoram chief minister to properly investigate the fact that civilians get weapons in such large quantities. It should be mentioned that 5 Assam police personnel were killed and 42 injured in a firing incident in Lailapur area of Assam-Mizoram border in Cachar district on Monday evening. The Assam government announced an ex gratia of 50 lakh each to the killed police personnel. The injured will get an amount of rupees 1 lakh from the Assam government. Injured superintendent of Cachar police Baibhab Chandrakant Nimbalkar has been shifted to Mumbai by air ambulance for better treatment. Three other critically injured police personnel were also shifted to Guwahati Medical Hospital by air ambulance.
