As many as six police officers from Assam lost their lifein the fresh violent row that erupted at the disputed Assam-Mizoram border,said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Reportedly, shots have been fired between the border areaof Assam's Cachar district and Mizoram's Colasib district along withallegations of attacks on government vehicles. Following allegations ofviolence, the chief ministers of Assam and Mizoram hurled accusations onTwitter and asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene.
Reportedly, the violence took place two days after UnionHome Minister Amit Shah met all the northeast's Chief Ministers in Shillong.Now, Mr. Shah has called up both the ministers and has asked them to resolvethe border conflict.
Presently, both states' police units have returned fromthe disputed location.
The inter-state border troubles issues were discussedwhen the Union Home Minister met the Chief Ministers of eight northeasternstates in Shillong on July 24. The first Chief Minister-level meeting toresolve the border troubles between Assam and Meghalaya was held a day beforein Shillong and both sides decided to solve disputes in 12 bordering locationsin a phased manner.
According to Assam Police, since October last year,several inter-state border skirmishes have taken place along the 164.6 kmborder in which one man was killed, and over 50 people injured, besides largescale damage caused to properties, including government-run schools, shops andhouses along the border.
Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana had said earlier thatthe crops of Mizo farmers had been destroyed at Buarchep (in Kolasib) by theAssam Police earlier this month and demanded adequate compensation by the Assamgovernment.
Since, June 29 of this year, the troubles along theborders of the two northeastern states have resumed after the two statesaccused each other of encroachment at Aitlang hnar near Vairengte, whichborders Assam's Hailakandi district.
Tension further shot up when Assam officials reportedlydestroyed some plantations at Buarchep in the Phainuam area bordering Cachardistrict on July 10 during the eviction, even as Assam officials claimed that thepeople of Mizoram encroached more than six km into its territory.