Deceptive lull prevails along Assam-Mizoram boundary

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Notwithstanding the peace overtures from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to his Mizoram counterpart, all is not well along the Assam-Mizoram border. The Central and State police forces on both sides are keeping watch on the developments; but, the unpredictable move of the Mizo miscreants -- most of them with arms -- has created an uneasy situation. These armed goons have for the time being retreated in jungles for strategic reason.

On Wednesday, Cachar Deputy Commisisoner, Keerthi Jalli, and SP Ratnadeep Kaur, with bullet-proof jackets were on Cachar-Mizoram frontier for an on-the-spot study of the situation. Everything looked calm and quiet. But, for how long? Ask the panic-ridden dwellers of interior villages of Assam-Mizoram border?

Villagers along the Karimganj inter-State boundary are being asked by the security forces to move out to safer places. Apprehension is that any moment, there might be exchange of firing once the trigger button is on from either side. In the meantime, security forces have imposed restrictions on the movement of people within two kilometres of the border. As reported earlier after evicting tribal people from their houses at Rangpur under Ratabari Constituency, the Mizo goons have been camping there.

MLA of Ratabari, Bijoy Malakar, has sent SOS to the Chief Minister on the boiling border situation. Mizo miscreants penetrated half a kilometre deep into Assam land, claiming it as their own and put up signboard 'Welcome to Mizoram' which was removed by Assam police. Bijoy Malakar said, 'We won't allow Mizoram to grab an inch of Assam land.'

South Assam DIG, Debojit Mukherjee, was back to Karimganj last night and held discussion with Khageswar Pegu, DC, and Padmanabh Barua SP, besides reviewing the border situation. The latest information that came from the border is that the security forces on both sides have put up bunkers, five each at different locations. The situation is described as 'really grave and a cause of concern.' Any time, flare up can't be ruled out.

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