The Assam-Mizoram border dispute stretches back nearly a century and a half. While inter-state disagreements between other Northeastern states have resulted in many showdowns, the rivalry between Assam and Mizoram has seldom resulted in violence. On Monday, though, it reached new heights, with at least six Assam police officers killed and more than 50 others injured in shooting on the inter-state border.
When did the feud grow so acrimonious?
Since Mizoram became a Union Territory in 1972 and later a state in the 1980s, there has been a simmering conflict. The two sides agreed to preserve the status quo in the no-land man's established up between their borders. While claimed breaches have occurred regularly throughout the years, conflicts have become increasingly common in recent months.
While Assam considers its claimed border to have been crossed, Mizoram points to Assam's unilateral actions into Mizoram territory. It claims that Assam officials visited several farms in Mamit district in June last year, that miscreants invaded Kolasib district and burned down two farm houses, and that Assam officials visited the inter-state boundary between Vairengte (Mizoram) and Lailapur (Assam) and crossed the CRPF duty station. Mizoram says that building work has been done at Buarchep village in Mizoram by both Assam and Mizoram officials, and that the Home Ministry is aware of the situation.
Several houses and small stores have been set ablaze in recent months, and violent fights have erupted over topics as minor as betel nut farming claims, with plantings belonging to two Mizoram people reportedly set ablaze. Villagers from Lailapur and Vairengte, as well as people from Karimganj (Assam) and Mamiut(Mizoram), have clashed .
FIR against CM Sarma
Following the clashes, the FIR was lodged on Monday. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, six senior officials, and 200 unnamed police officers have been booked by the Mizoram Police Department for the July 26 violence on the Assam-Mizoram interstate boundary.
CM Sarma said that Mizo residents are armed, a day after the government issued a travel warning advising people from the state to avoid travelling to Mizoram due to a border conflict. “Arms are in the hands of people in Mizoram. As a result, we advise folks to think twice before coming there. Assam's Chief Minister stated, "The situation there is not good." The Assam government issued a travel advice on Thursday, advising residents to avoid travelling to Mizoram due to a border conflict.
Inspector General of Police Anurag Agarwal, Deputy Inspector General of Police Devojyoti Mukherjee, Cachar District Magistrate Keerthi Jalli, Cachar Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chandrakant Nimbalkar, Divisional Forest Officer Sunnydeo Choudhury, and Dholai police station officer-in-charge Sahab Uddin are among those who have been arrested.
Assam Talks with Nagaland
Following recent skirmishes along the Assam-Mizoram border, Assam conducted talks with Nagaland on Friday to resolve another inter-state boundary stalemate, this time in the Dessoi Valley Reserved Forest on the border between the two states.
The chief secretaries of Assam and Nagaland met virtually to work out the disengagement plan. They agreed to withdraw forces, weapons, and structures from the area, which includes Jankhana Nala or Aosenden village and a hilltop forest camp, and allow the Assam forest department to set up a watch post to protect the reserved forest area.
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