Amid fresh bout of violence along the inter-state border of Assam and Mizoram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of both the states on Monday evening and asked them to resolve the border issue mutually.
Shah also asked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga to maintain peace along the border areas.
According to reports, Sarma and Zoramthanga have assured the home minister that whatever needful will be done to ensure peace and resolve the border issue amicably. Police forces from both states are now expected to return from the disputed site.
Meanwhile, the Assam chief minister said on Twitter that six officers of the state police were killed in the violence.
"I am deeply pained to inform that six brave jawans of Assam Police have sacrificed their lives while defending constitutional boundary of our state at the Assam-Mizoram border. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," tweeted Sarma.
The two state governments were locked in a war of words on Monday, blaming each other's police for the violence. While Zoramthanga accused the Assam Police of resorting to lathi-charge and lobbing tear gas shells, the Assam Police claimed that a large number of "miscreants" from Mizoram were indulging in stone pelting and had attacked the Assam government officials.
"It's unfortunate that a large number of miscreants from Mizoram are indulging in stone pelting and such forms of attack at Assam Government Officials, stationed at Lailapur to protect Assam's land from encroachment," the Assam Police tweeted. "We strongly condemn these acts of vandalism and reiterate our resolve to protect Assam's boundary,” it said.
Sarma said he has spoken to the Mizoram chief minister and reiterated that Assam Police will maintain the status quo and peace along the border.
"I have just spoken to Hon'ble Chief Minister @ZoramthangaCM ji. I have reiterated that Assam will maintain status quo and peace between the borders of our state. I have expressed my willingness to visit Aizawl and discuss these issues if need be @AmitShah @PMOIndia," he said.
The fresh violence erupted just two days after Shah met all chief ministers of the northeast states at Shillong.
Assam shares a 164-km long border with Mizoram. Following a territorial dispute, there were clashes along the inter-state border in August 2020 and February this year.
