Situation tense, hope awaits

ASSAM-MIZORAM BORDER ROW

10 Assam Police personnel injured

From a Correspondent

Hailakandi, March 10: Activists of Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) intruded into Assam’s territory on Saturday morning and attacked Assam Police and CRPF personnel leading to a mild lathicharge. Deputy Commissioner, Hailakandi, Adil Khan, who was at the troubled spot since morning, said that activists of MZP entered into Assam’s territory at Kachurthal in Hailakandi district and attacked Assam Police and paramilitary forces, leading to a mild lathicharge. Official sources said 10 Assam Police personnel were injured in today’s clash with MZP activists. Khan said the administration has been trying to defuse the situation and at the same time safeguarding the frontiers. “We have ensured that not an inch of Assam’s land is encroached upon,” said Khan while closely monitoring the situation on the border front.

Refuting reports of excesses committed by the administration on the MZP activists, Khan said, “We have acted with utmost restraint and applied minimum force to push back the MZP members when they intruded into Assam’s territory.”

The Deputy Commissioner lamented that though he had repeatedly sought cooperation from the adjoining Kolasib district administration of Mizoram to enforce the rule of law on its side as Section 144 was in force on the Assam side of the inter-State border and not to allow gathering of MZP activists, the administration looked the other way. 

Not only Khan,  Additiol Chief Secretary, Home and Political, Government of Assam, Alok Kumar had also sent a WT message on March 7 to Chief Secretary and DGP, Mizoram to take pre-emptive measures following intelligence reports that activists of MZP were planning to make forays into Assam’s territory at Kachurthal and erect permanent structures, including a church on March 8. 

Kumar had also urged the Government of Mizoram to maintain status quo and peace along the inter-State border. 

Meanwhile, Khan exuded optimism that a positive outcome would emerge as both the Governments of Assam and Mizoram are engaged in talks at the highest level to resolve the border row. 

In another development, the Kolasib district administration of Mizoram has assured that members of MZP will not create further law-and-order problems along the Assam-Mizoram border in the Kachurthal area of Hailakandi district and they have decided to withdraw from the border. 

This was conveyed to Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner Adil Khan by Kolasib Deputy Commissioner R. Zarzosanga on Saturday.