A day after six Assam Police personnel and a civilian were killed in firing and clashes at a disputed border point between Assam and Mizoram, the Ministry of Home Affairs summoned the Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of the two states to Delhi Wednesday as part of efforts to dial down tensions.
As the Centre stepped in, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would deploy 4,000 commandos along the state's 165-km boundary with Mizoram, and move the Supreme Court to ensure that the reserve forest in the disputed area is protected and no settlement comes up there.
Sarma's remarks followed a statement Monday night from Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana who accused the Assam Police of “forcibly” crossing over and overrunning a post manned by Mizoram Police.
Calling it an “intrusion and aggression into the territory of Mizoram,” Lalchamliana, while regretting “the needless injuries on both sides”, urged Assam to “create congenial environment for peaceful resolution of the dispute”.
Official sources said the CRPF, deployed in the disputed area of the boundary between the districts of Cachar (Assam) and Kolasib (Mizoram), had taken over a post vacated by the Assam Police but Mizoram Police personnel were still to vacate their post. The situation on the ground was tense but under control, sources said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources said, was in touch with Chief Ministers Sarma and Zoramthanga. “He…
