Assam Police Captured Our Post, Fired First Shots: Mizoram Police Officer

The first shots in the border dispute were fired by Assam, Mizoram IGP John Neihlaia said Wednesday at a press briefing in state capital Aizawl.

Six men of the Assam Police and a civilian had died at the Assam-Mizoram inter-state border in a bloody clash between the police forces of the two neighbouring states. The clashes stem from a land dispute between the two states over "improper demarcation of the state border".

The violence in which 45 people were also injured, had started on Monday morning at the Inner Line Reserve Forest area of Cachar district. Later each state had issued tit-for-tat allegations of intrusion in violation of a previous understanding. Paramilitary forces were deployed to keep the peace at the disturbed area.

Over 200 Assam Police personnel, led by their IGP and other senior police officers, overran the neutral CRPF force camp, after which they over-powered and captured the Mizoram police post, said Mr Neihlaia.

Negotiations with around 20 Mizo police personnel were going on, added the officer, but they were outnumbered by the Assam police.

Detailing the sequence of events, Mr Neihlaia said after capturing the post, the Assam Police, adamant to construct a camp at the site, called Kolasib SP. While Mizoram SP was with the IGP of Assam, the Assam Police opened fire on the Mizo forces, he added.

This forced the hand of Mizoram police, forcing it to retaliate, he added.

John Neihlaia also confirmed the deployment of LMG [Light Machine Gun] by the Mizoram Police. He further added that the Assam Police, after capturing of the Mizo police post, mounted an LMG at the site and faced it towards civilians and forces. He confirmed both the sides used LMG.

Assam police sources, speaking to NDTV, have rejected these claims of the Mizoram Police.

Regarding the viral videos showing Mizo civilians with guns, the Mizoram police official said that owning a gun or simple airgun is a hobby among Mizo males.

All have licence and they often use it for hunting, protection of our farm land and in self-defence, he said.

Tension along the inter-state border in Cachar and Hailakandi districts has been escalating since October last year, with frequent incidents of burning of houses and encroachment of land.