24 hrs before Independence Day, school bombed near Assam-Mizoram border

The border dispute between Assam and Mizoram had resulted in an exchange of fire between the policemen from both sides on July 26, causing death of six Assam policemen and one resident.

A day before the 75th Independence Day, fresh tension erupted along Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district of Assam after a primary school was bombed by unknown miscreants at Kachurthal area on Friday night, police said.

Sahebmara LP School, located within two kilometres of the Assam-Mizoram Border, demarcated by Survey of India map, was attacked by grenades. (AFP Photo/Representative use)

Parts of the lower primary school known as Sahebmara LP School has been damaged in the second such instance in this area after Muliwala Lower Primary School was bombed in February this year by unknown miscreants.

Sahebmara LP School, located within two kilometres of the Assam-Mizoram Border, demarcated by Survey of India map, was attacked by grenades while it was closed due to the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak.

Hailakandi’s superintendent of police (SP) Gaurav Upadhyay said the latest incident happened at around 11:30 pm on Friday but no person was injured. “The bombing was done by miscreants from Mizoram side between 11 to 11:30 pm. The area comes under Ghutghuti police outpost and we have raised the security immediately after the incident. We are trying to ensure that this incident does not create fear among the residents in the locality. We are also investigating the matter and once it is completed, we’ll be able to give a clearer picture,” He said.

In February this year, unknown miscreants used grenades to damage Muliwala Lower Primary School, resulting in hundreds of families moving out of the area in fear. “There has been a series of attempts to terrorise locals by unknown miscreants from Mizoram side throughout the year. They mostly target the government buildings to create panic among the civilians,” said a local from Hailakandi.

The border dispute between the two states resulted in an exchange of fire between the policemen from both sides on July 26, causing the death of six Assam policemen and one resident. More than 60 people from Assam, including superintendent of police of Cachar district, sustained severe injuries. Few persons from Mizoram side were also injured.

Following the clashes, a 10-day-long economic blockade in Assam prevented transport of goods to Mizoram, resulting in a price rise of essential goods in the state. Under the instruction of the Central government, both Assam and Mizoram have agreed to resolve the border dispute peacefully.