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Fresh firing along Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district, one Mizo civilian injured
According to police officials from the two neighbouring states, the firing took place at around 2 am on Tuesday.
Fresh tension erupted along the Assam-Mizoram inter-state border area in Hailakandi district of Assam after a cross-firing took place between the police of both the states in the wee hours of Tuesday, officials said.
According to police officials from the two neighbouring states, the firing took place at around 2 am on Tuesday at Darashing Hills area under reserve forest in Assam. One person from Mizoram has sustained injuries but it was not due to firing, police said.
According to the superintendent of police of Hailakandi district, Gaurav Upadhyay, at around 2 am on Tuesday, police officials noticed that some people have entered Assam and were using some sort of signals with torch lights. He said Assam police officials asked them why did they enter when suddenly some people started firing from the upper side of the hill on the Mizoram side. In return, Assam police fired 12 rounds of blank shots after which the entrants ran away.
“First of all, we did not start the firing, our officials were attacked with bullets from the upper side of the hill which is under Mizoram. Ordinary civilians do not cross the border silently at 2:00 am, so it appears these people were up to something fishy. Our officials did not fire on them as we have them instructed not to do it. Now some wrong messages are being given from the Mizoram’s side which should not be done,” Upadhyay said.
He also said that the area where these three people were stopped falls under Assam and it is not a disputed part of the border. “If this was a disputed area, higher officials would have intervened by now,” he added.
Superintendent of police of Mizoram’s Kolasib district, Vanlalfaka Ralte, informed that three residents of Vairengte area of Kolasib district were attempting to go to their friend’s house in Bilaipur village of Assam’s Hailakandi when Assam police threatened them with bullets.
“In bordering areas, people are friends with each other and they exchange things amongst them. Three Mizoram residents, including two ladies, were going to a friend’s house on Monday night when Assam police threatened them with bullets. One lady has sustained severe injury but that is not due to the bullet. She broke her leg while running because of fear. This is unfortunate that Assam police tried to use bullets on innocent civilians of Mizoram,” he said.
According to a Mizoram DIPR release, deputy commissioner of Kolasib, H Lalthlangliana, has appealed to Mizoram’s public to avoid visiting border areas where police are deployed in order to eschew brewing up of tension. He also urged people not to spread fake news which could lead to fresh tension along with the border areas.
A firing incident happened between the police of both the states at Lailapur area in Cachar district along the border on July 26 killing six Assam police jawans. After that, the locals on Assam’s side imposed an unofficial economic blockade for 10 days. After several talks between the two states, the blockade was removed and peace prevailed in border areas. Police from both states are keeping vigil at the border areas post the July 26 incident.
Recently, a school in Hailakandi district near the border was bombed by unknown miscreants. While Assam police claimed that the miscreants came from Mizoram, the Mizoram police demanded a neutral investigation on the matter.
