E-Paper
Mizoram files theft case against Assam cops; allegations concocted, says Assam Police
According to Mizoram authorities, policemen from Assam entered the Mizoram side of the interstate border on Friday.
The ongoing boundary dispute between Assam and Mizoram has taken a new turn with Mizoram Police lodging a case of theft against Assam Police personnel on Saturday.
Assam Police has dubbed the allegations as baseless and accused Mizoram authorities of indulging in construction activities on the Assam side of the interstate border without the necessary authorization.
According to Mizoram authorities, policemen from Assam’s Hailakanadi district in Barak Valley entered the Mizoram side of the interstate border on Friday and stole construction material. A case in this regard was lodged on Saturday at Bairabi police station in Kolasib district of Mizoram.
In a letter to his Hailakandi counterpart Rohan Kumar Jha on Saturday, Kolasib deputy commissioner Dr H Lalthlangliana alleged that on Friday noon, a team of Assam policemen entered Mizoram’s territory in Zophai where a bridge was under construction to connect the main road to the paddy field of C Chhunga, the first chief minister of Mizoram.
“Assam Police created problems for workers on the site and even stole some construction materials including pieces of iron rods etc. A police case against theft of construction materials has been filed against them at Bairabi police station,” the letter mentioned.
“I would like to reiterate that this incident may not be considered a boundary issue as it is ongoing construction works for connecting road. Government servant committing an act that can be interpreted as theft towards government property is very disappointing and considered very serious,” it added.
Police officials in Hailakandi district of Assam, which borders Kolasib district in Mizoram, refuted the allegations and blamed Mizoram authorities for vitiating the atmosphere with false accusations and indulging in construction activities on the Assam side.
“Mizoram authorities were constructing a bridge over a ‘nullah’ at Kachurthal which borders Mizoram on one side and Assam on the other. Since the construction was being done on Assam’s territory, necessary authorization from our side should have been taken. But the Mizoram side didn’t do that,” said Hailakandi superintendent of police Gaurav Upadhyay.
“When an Assam police patrolling party saw the construction on reaching the site on Friday, Mizoram authorities didn’t provide satisfactory replies and have now filed a case based on allegations, which are concocted, baseless and malafide,” he added.
Refuting the allegations of the Mizoram side, Upadhyay said that persons on the Mizoram side obstructed Assam policemen from carrying out their official duties on Assam’s soil. He said he has already talked to his Kolasib counterpart in this regard, and would file a counter-case if needed.
Following the incident, security along the Assam-Mizoram border at Hailakandi has been beefed up and additional police personnel deployed to prevent any untoward incident from happening.
Both Assam and Mizoram have a dispute regarding the demarcation of the 164-km long boundary between them. On July 26, six Assam policemen were killed and over 50 policemen and civilians were injured in firing between both sides. The incident led to an unofficial blockade of NH306 for several days by people on the Assam side affecting the movement of goods and people to Mizoram.
Following the Centre’s intervention, central security forces were deployed at the border areas and the tensions de-escalated a bit. Ministers from both states held a meeting in Aizawl on August 5 where they agreed to maintain peace on the border areas.
But days after the talks, on August 14, a blast damaged a school in Hailakandi district located along the border. Mizoram denied any involvement in the incident. This was followed by a firing incident on the border on August 17.
Mizoram claimed Assam police fired at three Mizoram residents who were trying to cross the border and meet an acquaintance on the Assam side. Assam maintains firing started from Mizoram side and they retaliated.
While no one sustained bullet injuries in the incident, according to Mizoram authorities, one Mizoram resident was injured while falling down in an attempt to flee the firing.
