Last week, the Mizoram promised to withdraw its armed police from the border area of Lailapur in Assam (File)
Guwahati:
A week after a supposed breakthrough in the Assam-Mizoram border deadlock, blockades have resurfaced in the past two days. Residents on the Assam side of the border have prevented vehicles from entering Mizoram, demanding that the state withdraw its forces still stationed in their territory.
Hundreds of trucks carrying essential supplies to Mizoram are again stranded on National Road 306, the lifeline of the state. Last week, the Mizoram promised to withdraw its armed police from the Lailapur border area in Assam, but Assam officials say the Mizoram has yet to honor its promise.
On Thursday, the Union’s interior minister held a video conference with the chief secretaries of Assam and Mizoram to defuse the situation, official sources said.
Meanwhile, a senior police official in Assam GP Singh said a recent bomb explosion at a school in Lailapur along the Assam-Mizoram border may have been an attempt to terrorize residents. Assam police will demand that the investigation of the incident be turned over to a central agency.
“There was an explosion in a school. I spoke with the Kolashib District Police Commissioner. We saw the additional police station set up by the Mizoram. It feels like a bomb explosion could be an attempt to terrorize the residents. I asked the police commissioner of Cachar to file a complaint under the section of the law on illegal activities (prevention) in court, “he said.
“During the investigation, it emerged that those who triggered the explosion could have come from Mizoram. We have discussed with the police headquarters because it is a case of illegal activities, we will ask to transfer the case to a central agency, ”Singh told reporters. .
The deadlock at the Assam-Mizoram border has been ongoing since October 9 and has taken a deplorable turn with around 20 shops and homes burned down and several people injured in attacks and counter-attacks along the border on October 17.
Vairengte in the Kolasib district of Mizoram, through which the NH 306 passes, has seen a massive deployment of security forces to Lialapur in Assam.
Three districts in southern Assam – Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi – share a hilly border with two districts in Mizoram, Mamit and Kolasib.
Last week, the stalemate came to an end after Union (Northeast) Interior Ministry Deputy Secretary Satyendra Kumar Garg, Assam and Mizoram Home Secretaries as well as senior officials from both states held a series of meetings.
More than 300 trucks bound for Mizoram began to move as the state agreed to “push back” its forces somewhat from border areas.
Union Home Secretary Amit Shah also held several talks last week with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga to defuse crisis.
