North Lakhimpur (Assam), Aug 13: The Assam government on Thursday asserted that miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh fired inside Assam’s territory in an area that was not disputed, and the state police have identified four accused and sought their custody from the neighbouring state.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the leadership of Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), which is spearheading an indefinite economic blockade of Arunachal Pradesh, at Dhemaji Circuit House, Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said the discussion ended on a positive note, with the protesters also expressing happiness over the stand of the Assam government on the incident.
Leaders of the TMPK, the apex student organisation of Assam’s Mising community, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Arunachal Pradesh government to apprehend the four identified accused, who have been named in an FIR lodged by Assam Police, and hand them over to the Assam administration, failing which it would intensify its stir.
“As per information, four people from Arunachal Pradesh fired on people from Assam at Badati village of Mingmang panchayat in Dhemaji district. The incident did not take place in any disputed land, it was clearly Assam’s territory as per our records,” Pegu said.
Four people from Hime village in Arunachal Pradesh were involved in the incident, he added.
“Assam Police have provided the names and addresses of these four people to their Arunachal Pradesh counterparts and sought their custody. Assam Police will arrest them whenever they are found inside our state,” Pegu said in the presence of Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora.
TMPK and other local groups on Wednesday launched an indefinite economic blockade of Arunachal Pradesh in protest against the alleged firing in which 12 indigenous people from Assam were injured.
TMPK president Tilak Doley said the meeting was positive and the organisation presented its demands, which the government promised to look at favourably.
“We have set a target of 48 hours to arrest the four accused in the firing incident. Otherwise, our agitation will intensify in the coming days,” he added.
Doley said the agitation was not against any civil society groups of Arunachal Pradesh, such as Galo Welfare Society, Galo Students Union, Adi Students Union and other similar groups, and the TMPK is in talks with them.
At least 12 people from Assam were injured on Monday after alleged firing by miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh along the inter-state border in Dhemaji district over land encroachment issues.
Along with TMPK, other local social groups like Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) and Takam Mising Mahila Kebang (TMMK) are supporting the blockade and have stopped all vehicles, barring emergency services and school transportation, from coming or going to Arunachal Pradesh at the entry points.
Doley further said that TMPK will hold a meeting with Galo Welfare Society, Galo Students Union and a parent apex civil society body of Arunachal Pradesh this evening to discuss the situation.
“Our only demand is to arrest the culprits. Till they are arrested, our agitation will continue. We will decide in future whether the stir would be a road blockade or an economic blockade,” he added.
Pegu, who was deputed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to monitor the situation, said the government has requested the TMPK and other groups to withdraw the economic blockade.
“Because of four accused persons, we should not blame the entire Arunachal Pradesh and all its people. TMPK has expressed happiness on the Assam government’s stand and they will discuss among themselves about withdrawing the blockade,” he added.
The minister said the clash at Likabali in Silapathar this morning was unfortunate, but the situation is fully under control now with the police from both states dispersing the crowd.
A fresh clash erupted between protesters from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in Dhemaji district on Thursday, forcing the police from the neighbouring state to fire in the air to control the mob even as the indefinite economic blockade against the Himalayan state entered its second day.
Pegu further said the Assam government has decided to take up the firing incident in the next CM or chief secretary-level meeting with Arunachal Pradesh and will bring it to a logical conclusion.
“The Assam government will bear all expenses in treating the injured and will also give compensation to them,” he added.
Pegu, also a local Mising leader, said that TMPK has demanded the resumption of border talks and the resolution of all boundary disputes as early as possible.
“Border dispute discussions were stalled due to the assembly elections. The cabinet meeting of Assam on August 11 formed new regional committees for each district and the talks will begin soon to resolve the border disputes,” he added.
Bora said the firing incident was “very unfortunate” and the state government strongly condemned it.
“We express our deep concern. The chief minister is also very worried about the developments. Assam Police have registered a case as the place of occurrence was in Assam. This was a law and order problem that took place on Assam’s land, and not related to the boundary dispute,” he added. (PTI)
