An old border dispute between Assam and Mizoram worsened on monday that led to the killing of six Assam police officers after Mizoram police and alleged Mizo intruders opened fire along the inter-state border in Cachar’s Lailapur on Monday.
The Assam Police's recent encroachment drive is thought to have added to the tensions that were already simmering due to the tussle between the residents of Lailapur village in Assam's Cachar district and Vairengte village in Mizoram's Kolasib district, which has now been going on for a few days already.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting of the chief ministers of all northeastern states in Shillong earlier this week to discuss border disputes and other pressing concerns. Prior to it, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla convened a meeting of Assam and Mizoram's chief secretaries and DGPs in an attempt to resolve the border conflict.
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Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga expressed his sadness for "needless injuries on both sides that may have been avoided." The government of Mizoram also "strongly condemns the unjustified act of the government of Assam in this trespass and invasion into the territory of Mizoram," according to a statement from the CMO.
On the other hand, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Chief Minister, have stated that as many as six police officers have died "while defending the state's constitutional boundary." CM Sarma claimed in another tweet that the Mizoram Police deployed "Light Machine Guns (LMG) against Assam Police soldiers."
At least two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed along the disputed area on the Assam-Mizoram border at around 5.30 p.m. on Monday, according to India Today. Loudspeakers were also used to request that the Assam and Mizoram police troops leave the disputed area.
Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya compared the clash to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, saying almost 80 people were hurt. He further claimed that no shots were fired from the Assam side of the boundary. Earlier in the day, the Assam chief minister said that the superintendent of police (SP), Kolasib, had declared that 'civilians' would not stop the violence unless the Assam Police leave the disputed region.
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Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana stated in a statement that about 200 Assam Police troops overran a CRPF and Mizoram Police position near the Vairengte auto-rickshaw stop at around 11.30 a.m. on Monday. When unarmed residents of Vairengte town asked about the incident, they were also lathi-charged, according to the Mizoram administration. Also, according to the statement issued by the Mizoram government, At roughly 4.50 p.m., a salvo of tear gas canisters and grenades were fired at Mizoram Police, followed by shooting from the Assam side.
