FRESH ROW AS ASSAM WORKERS ALLEGE ATTACK ON MIZORAM BORDER

SILCHAR: Fresh trouble erupted at the Assam-Mizoram border after a group of labourers in Assam alleged an attack with stones and slingshots by people from the neighbouring state over a road construction.

The alleged incident at Khulichera area in Cachar district, near the border, on Thursday came at a time when the two governments are trying to find solutions to the 164.6km-longborder dispute following the July 26 clashes that killed seven people.

While Mizoram Police refuted all claims of an attack and alleged forceful construction by Assam on their land, Assam Police said the work was being carried out three kilometres away from the border.

“They did not attack anyone,” Mizoram’s Kolasib district superintendent of police Vanlalfaka Ralte said.

Sharing details of the alleged incident, a labourer, preferring anonymity said, “Some of them (attackers) were carrying bows and arrows and a few had guns. It looked like they planned to kill us, so we left the area. Hundreds of slingshots were fired at our vehicle and we heard a few gunshots too.”

Cachar superintendent of police Ramandeep Kaur said the identity of the attackers were yet to be confirmed. “The rest of the work will progress as per plan, and we will provide adequate security to the workers,” he said.

Ralte, however, accused Assam of forcefully holding construction work on their land. “Assam is forcibly constructing the road on Mizoram’s land which angered the people here. They moved forward and tried to stop the work but did not attack,” he said.

To this, Kaur responded: “This is an Assam government-sanctioned work which cannot be in Mizoram’s territory. The work is going on...three kilometres from the Mizoram border according to the Survey of India map. They are violating the agreement... and now trying to spread lies.”