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Standoff, stone pelting: How the Assam-Mizoram clash unfolded
On Sunday, a day prior to Monday’s violent clashes along Assam-Mizoram border, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga’s convoy passed through national highway (NH 306), which connects the two states
On Sunday, a day prior to Monday’s violent clashes along Assam-Mizoram border, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga’s convoy passed through national highway (NH 306), which connects the two states. He was returning to Aizawl a day after attending a meeting of union home minister Amit Shah with chief ministers of all states in the Northeast at Meghalaya’s capital Shillong. On his return journey, Zoramthanga halted briefly along the route on the Assam side and was greeted by deputy commissioner of Cachar district in Assam, Keerthi Jalli, and the district superintendent of police VC Nimbalkar.
Less than 24 hours later, violent clashes, which both Assam and Mizoram claim to have been started by the other side, killed killed 7 persons including 6 policemen and injured 41 others on the Assam side. Superintendent of police Nimbalkar was among those injured. The IPS officer, who sustained grievous bullet injuries on his lower body, was airlifted to Mumbai by an Indian Air Force aircraft on Tuesday for treatment.
Assam shares 164 km of border with Mizoram and though both states have a long pending dispute regarding their boundary it intensified last year when some miscreants bombed a government school in Khulicherra area in Assam’s territory. Local residents claimed that it was done by Mizoram, which, in turn, claimed that Assam government personnel had forcefully constructed schools and RCC bridges on their land. Mizoram also stopped several top officials of Assam government as well as the central government from visiting those places.
On Monday morning Assam police officials captured a camp near Lailapur border which was reportedly built last year by India Reserve (IR) battalion of Mizoram Police. According to locals on the Assam side, the number of Assam police personnel was much larger than the IR battalion. But when the news about presence of Assam troops broke in Vairengte in Mizoram, hundreds of locals started gathering at the spot. As per Assam government officials, around 11:30 in the morning, a group of people started pelting stones from Mizoram’s side. Cachar deputy commissioner Keerthi Jalli’s car was attacked with stones but she managed to escape unharmed. Other police officers immediately rushed to the spot and more forces were called.
According to journalists present at the site on the Assam side of the border, stone pelting continued from both sides for several hours till the firing started. Cachar DC Jalli along with SP Nimbalkar and other Assam officials were at the camp near Lailapur border. Around 4:00 pm, superintendent of police of Kolasib district in Mizoram came to the camp and Jalli gave him her chair. But 20 minutes later, as the officials of the two states were discussing the issue, three tear gas canisters fell on the road on the Assam side; soon the place was full of toxic smoke. Few minutes later there was the sound of guns being fired. Police personnel, local residents and journalists ran for cover. Few people sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby government health centre , according to eye-witnesses. They were immediately referred to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) in Assam.
Several journalists from Assam who were covering the developments were injured , but not by bullets. Internet and phone connections remained disrupted at the site for several minutes and the place felt like a war-zone. Local residents on Assam side were armed with stones and sticks, but not guns. They claim the attackers from Mizoram were armed with guns.
The firing continued for at least half-an-hour. A 25-year-old Assam resident Fajar Ali who sustained an air gun injury on his right hand. “I was near border area when people from Mizoram started firing. We tried to run away but a bullet hit my right arm and I fell on ground.” Later in the evening it became clear that five Assam police personnel and a civilian had been killed in the incident.
The Mizoram version of how the events unfolded is different. The state home minister Lalchamliana in a statement issued on Monday blamed Assam police of entering Mizoram territory and indulging in violence. It stated that around 200 Assam police personnel came to Vairengte in Mizoram ariund 11:30 am on Monday and forcibly crossed the duty post manned by CRPF personnel and also damaged several vehicles that were travelling along the National Highway between Vairengte and Lailapur.
“Upon learning of the arson committed by Assam Police, residents of Vairengte town, Kolasib District proceeded to the site to inquire. These unarmed civilians were assaulted by Assam Police by lathi charging them and firing tear gas, thereby causing injuries to several civilians,” read the statement. “The confrontation continued and a volley of tear gas canisters and grenades were launched at Mizoram Police followed by firing from Assam side at around 4:50 p.m. Mizoram Police responded spontaneously by firing back at Assam Police.”
Talking to HT over phone from Aizawl on Tuesday, Lalchamliana reiterated that Assam police personnel and civilians entered Mizoram and forcibly removed residents. He added that firing started from the Assam side and Mizoram security personnel retaliated in self-defence. “Assam police personnel came heavily armed and were the first to open fire. Our personnel, who were also armed with automatic weapons and light machine guns (LMGs), responded to the attack. Whatever has happened in unfortunate.”
Mizoram information and public relations minister Lalruatkima who was stationed at the border told PTI on Tuesday that the central para-military forces posted on both sides of the border between the two states didn’t act to defuse the tension. Following a Centre’s directive last year, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp is stationed on Mizoram side of the border and a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) post is located on the Assam side as neutral forces and to take measures of situation between both sides went out of hand. “The bloody clash could have been averted had CRPF prevented Assam police from entering Mizoram territory ,” PTI quoted Lalruatkima as saying.
On Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Silchar and met with those injured in Monday’s attack. He also paid tribute to the five police personnel killed. Assam has announced a three-day state mourning for them. Sarma reiterated the claim that firing started from Mizoram side and announced compensation for family members of those killed and injured.
Mizoram home minister Lalchamliana said that the situation along the border was peaceful and there have been no new developments on Tuesday. He informed that on Wednesday, chief secretaries and police chiefs of both states would meet union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla at New Delhi to discuss Monday’s incident and the border dispute.
(With PTI inputs)
