Border violence: Union Home Secy convenes talks with Assam, Mizoram

Aizawl/Silchar (Assam), Oct 18 : Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla would hold a meeting, through video conference, with the Chief Secretaries of Assam and Mizoram on Monday, following the latter’s complaint of Assam’s “transgressions” along the inter-state border, the Mizoram government said on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, an Assam government release said that state Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya on Sunday visited Lailapur, where some houses and stalls were torched by miscreants from Mizoram on Saturday night, and assured its residents that the administration would come to their aid.
A Mizoram government release said that it is also actively engaging with the Assam government to resolve the current issues at the state border, apart from approaching the Union Home Ministry.
“In order to instil a sense of security to the distraught residents of the affected border areas and also to prevent any other untoward incident, security has been beefed up in these areas,” said the statement, released after an urgent cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Zoramthanga.
It said that the Cabinet expressed regret over the “unilateral and provocative acts of disturbing public peace and harmony” in at three locations — Thinghlun, Saihapui ‘V’ and Vairengte – of the state by officials of Assam’s Cachar and Karimganj districts and expected that the Assam government would take urgent measures to restore normalcy in these areas.
According to the release, due to road blockade organised by Assam at the entry points to the state, entry of essential commodities has been stopped and efforts are underway to obtain the required essential commodities such as LPG and fuel supplies through other neighbouring states.