Aizawl: Tension flared along the Mizoram-Assam border after eight farmers’ huts were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants. Efforts are on to control the situation, a senior police officer said Monday. The incident happened a day after a meeting of chief ministers of northeastern states. The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Shillong, during which the border issue was raised.
Mizoram Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range), Lalbiakthanga Khiangte, told this agency that at least eight unoccupied farm huts near Aitlang stream in the trouble-torn area were torched around 11.30pm Sunday. He said these belonged to farmers from Vairengte, the nearest border village from Assam. Complaints have been lodged by owners of the huts at Vairengte police station and investigation is underway, Khiangte informed.
The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end. The situation deteriorated when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as ‘Aitlang hnar’. The area is about 5km from Vairengte. Assam then accused the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory.
Several crops and betel nut trees belonging to a Mizoram farmer were also reportedly damaged during the ‘eviction drive’ July 10. The drive was conducted by Assam Police and officials at Buarchep near Phainuam village. On the same day, a grenade was allegedly hurled on an Assam government team visiting the border by unknown people.
Both the states have been blaming each other for two back-to-back explosions across the border in the early hours of July 11.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga had raised the border issue during the meeting with his counterparts from other northeastern states Sunday, officials said. He informed Shah that border disputes among states of the region is a legacy issue of the colonial era.
Zoramthanga had also said that large tracts of land claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary have been used for collection of forest produce and cultivation for more than 100 years by the people of Mizoram. It shares a 164.6-km-long inter-state border with Assam.