Fresh row on Assam-Mizoram border leaves at least 6 injured, 18 houses burnt

According to Assam officials, the incident took place at Kachurtal in Hailakandi district of the state over a dispute related to construction of a road on its side of the border

Published on: Feb 10, 2021, 11:53:01 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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At least six persons were injured, and 18 houses burnt down as a result of a fresh clash between residents of Assam and Mizoram on Tuesday close to the border between the two neighbouring states.

According to Assam officials, the incident took place at Kachurtal in Hailakandi district of the state over a dispute related to construction of a road on its side of the border.

“A fight broke out over the construction of a road on the Assam-Mizoram border on our side. Some Mizoram residents obstructed the construction and it led to a fight between residents of both states and several people got injured,” said Dilip Kumar Dey, DIG (Southern Range), Assam Police.

“Three persons on our side got injured. Our personnel dispersed the crowd on reaching the spot. But while returning back to Mizoram, the miscreants burnt down at least 18 houses on the Assam side,” he added.

Security personnel from the state police and Central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the area and the situation there is stated to be under control.

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Hailakandi superintendent of police Pabindra Kumar Nath said that three persons from the Mizoram side also sustained minor injuries in the clash.

“Though construction was taking place in Assam, Mizoram claims the territory to be disputed. The injuries sustained by the six persons are not serious. Of the three from Assam, one was discharged after first aid while the two others were taken to Hailakandi civil hospital,” Nath said.

Tuesday’s incident took place less than a week after a school near the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district was damaged due to two bomb blasts by unidentified miscreants in the early hours of February 3.

Assam and Mizoram share a 164-km boundary and there have been territorial disputes between both states for many years.

In October last year, several persons from both states were injured in violence along the border after some residents of Vairengte in Kolasib district of Mizoram set on fire temporary huts made by residents of Lailapur in Cachar district of Assam on a stretch of disputed land.

Mizoram said the huts were built on ‘no man’s land’ while Assam claimed the area as theirs.

Following the incident, residents on the Assam side blocked the highway going to Mizoram for several days and hundreds of goods-laden trucks on way to the neighbouring state were stranded.

The blockade was lifted in November after several rounds of talks between the two states and following intervention of the Union home ministry.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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