Guwahati, Oct 30: A high-intensity bomb went off at an border outpost (BOP) along interstate border with Mizoram in Hailakandi district of southern Assam’s Barak Valley further widening the rift between the two states that saw skirmishes since last year.
An Indian Reserve Battalion Force (IRBF) jawan, Laldintwang, meandering around the blast site — Baicherra Assam police’s BOP under Ramnathpur area — has been arrested along with cordex wire, that is used to remotely detonate bombs.
“In the dark hours, at around 1:45 AM it was reported that there was a high explosive blast using detonating cord near Baicherra BOP under Ramnathpur PS, done by some Mizo miscreants,” mentioned an Assam Police intimation.
The police revealed that the arrested 23-year-old has been identified to be a resident of Bairabi, the district headquarters of Mizoram’s Kolasib that shares border with Assam’s Cachar and Hailakandi districts.
“He was arrested and forwarded to Judicial custody under case vide Ramnathpur PS case no 192/21 u/s 120(B)/447/427 IPC r/w Sec 4 of PDPP Act r/w Section 3 of E.S. Act, that has been registered with reference to the incident and whose investigation is underway,” mentioned Hailakandi SP Gaurav Upadhyay.
The three districts, now Barak Valley, in southern Assam — Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar — share a 165-km-long border with Mizoram at Mamit, Kolasib and Aizawl districts throughout which there are border disputes along atleast five points.
In a violence last July 26, six Assam Police officials were killed and over 50 were injured.
The Bairabi branch of Mizo Zirlai Pawl, on the other hand, has issued a notification that if Laldintluanga is not released by 4 PM on Saturday, they will ban all Assam vehicles from entering Zophai. “Police personnel have waited at Ramnatpur Police Station the whole night but have failed to take him back,” mentioned the organisation.
It further alleged that the Assam Police have demanded for the hand over of the bridge equipments at Zophai, Bairabi. However, according to sources in Mizoram government, the equipments, installed by them, has already been taken back by them.
Assam government had alleged that the bridge was being constructed within Assam side, while the Mizoram government maintains that area belongs to them.
