By PTI
AIZAWL: Mizoram on Thursday accused Assam police of assaulting and kidnapping a civilian construction worker from the disputed border between the two states which had earlier seen a shoot-out between their police forces in July.
In a letter written to his counterpart in Assam’s Hailakandi district, Mizoram’s Kolasib Deputy Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana alleged that one Lalnarammawia, operator of an earth excavator was blindfolded and kidnapped at gunpoint by Assam Police personnel in commando fatigues from Aitlang area, a few kilometres from Mizoram’s Vairengte village.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when Lalnarammawia and others were working at a road construction site, the letter said.
An excavator had been hired by farmers for road construction.
Assam police went to the spot, disrupted construction work and damaged the earth excavator, the letter alleged.
“Policemen also snatched the excavator’s key from the operator, who was blindfolded and kidnapped, the Mizoram official alleged. The JCB operator was blindfolded and kidnapped with a gun pointed at his head by Assam Police wearing a Commando uniform. He was then dragged to the river and threatened. His mobile phone along with JCB keys were taken by the Assam Police,” the letter claimed.
Terming the incident as serious and setback to the recent peace initiative, Lalthlangliana cautioned that it could further the situation, already tense as both states have deployed large numbers of armed policemen there.
The Kolasib DC urged his Hailakandi counterpart to intervene and take necessary action against those involved in the kidnapping.
He also urged Assam officials to return the items allegedly taken away by Assam police to the earth excavator operator at the earliest.
After simmering tensions for several months over a border dispute, at least six Assam Police personnel and one civilian were killed and more than 50 people injured in a fire-fight between the police of the two states on July 26.
The two states share a 164.6-km border between Assam’s Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, and Mizoram’s Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts.
Both states have differing interpretations of their territorial border.
While Mizoram believes that its border lies along an inner line’ drawn up in 1875 to protect tribals from outside influence, Assam goes by a district demarcation done in 1933.
