In a sharp escalation of the age-old boundary dispute between Assam and Mizoram, at least five Assam Police personnel were killed in violent clashes Monday at a contested border point where tensions had been simmering. Fifty policemen were injured, including Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant, SP of Assam’s Cachar district, who sustained a bullet injury in the leg.
Confirming the death of state police personnel, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a Twitter post, said: “I am deeply pained to inform that six brave jawans of @assampolice have sacrificed their lives while defending constitutional boundary of our state at the Assam-Mizoram border. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.”
A statement from the Assam government later clarified that five personnel had died — SI Swapan Roy and constables Liton Suklabaidya, MH Barbhuyia, N Hussain and S Barbhuiya.Sarma said there is “clear evidence” emerging which “unfortunately shows that Mizoram Police has used Light Machine Guns (LMG)” against Assam Police personnel. “This is sad, unfortunate and speaks volumes about the intention and gravity of the situation,” he said on Twitter.
News Source : The Hindu
