Border Tension Between Assam, Mizoram Rise Over Piece Of Land

After a lull of a few months, border tension between Assam and Mizoram has erupted once again, with police personnel from both the states clashing over a piece of land.

Assam had recently dismantled makeshift huts which it claimed were encroaching forest land inside its territory in Dholaikhal area of Hailakandi district bordering Mizoram's Kolashib. Mizoram officials have now claimed the huts were part of a police camp and were well within its territory.

Visuals show the police personnel jostling and pushing each other in the border area.

Mizoram said it had sent the police to guard and reserve its territory after the Assam police dismantled the huts. Assam said it had just cleared encroachment from its forest land.

"Neighbouring border areas are forest land which is under the purview of the (Assam) forest department. In this regard, the forest department has requisitioned a police force so that they can do the patrolling, and we have not crossed the border. When we found makeshift structures in the form of encroachment, we followed the Supreme Court order that reserved forest cannot have this kind of encroachment. So, we have removed them. If there are any differences in perception of the border, officers from both states can meet and ascertain facts," said Niraj Verma, Principal Secretary (Home), Assam.

Countering the claim, Dr H Lalthlangliana, the Deputy Commissioner of Kolashib, said he has brought to the notice of his Hailakandi counterpart the recent tension at Aitlang zau (a piece of land at the Assam-Mizoram border), where the 'Assamese police' had dismantled the camps set up by the Mizoram police. He added that the Mizoram government has sent additional troops to the border to camp at the land.

Officials in Aizawl said that Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo and his Assam counterpart Jishnu Baruah will hold a meeting next week on border issues.

On Thursday, Gyanendra Dev, a senior Assam official, visited the disputed areas and talked to the local people and officials.

Mizoram's Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit districts share borders with Assam's Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts. There have been several instances of border dispute in these areas.

The Centre last year held high-level talks with the two state governments to work out a temporary solution to defuse the tension brewing at both sides due to violence.