GUWAHATI: A tribal organisation in Assam has given the state police 48 hours to arrest four persons from Arunachal Pradesh named in an FIR for their alleged involvement in the August 10 border firing incident, even as fresh violence was reported on Thursday.
A scuffle ensued between people from both states following an incident of stone pelting. The incident occurred in a border area in Assam’s Dhemaji district. The police restored order by firing blank shots.
The Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), which represents Assam’s tribal Mising community, warned that if the four persons named in the FIR were not arrested within 48 hours, it would continue its ongoing “economic blockade” against Arunachal and further intensify it in the coming days.
In the wake of the unrest, the Assam government rushed ministers Atul Bora and Ranoj Pegu to Dhemaji. The two held a meeting with the TMPK and several other organisations. TMPK president Tilak Doley said the meeting was positive.
“They accepted our demands and said these would be fulfilled through dialogue. One of our demands is that the four persons from Arunachal whose names figured in the FIR have to be arrested within 48 hours,” Doley said.
Pegu apprised the TMPK leaders that Assam Police had requested Arunachal Police to hand over the accused persons.
“The Assam government has taken up the matter at the highest level with the Arunachal government and is committed to ensuring justice for the affected villagers,” he said.
He further stated that Assam’s border regional committees would soon resume discussions with their Arunachal counterparts to find an amicable and lasting solution to the border dispute in the remaining areas.
The two ministers held another meeting with a delegation of the All Assam Students’ Union to discuss the situation.
“I sought their active cooperation in maintaining peace, harmony and mutual respect along the inter-state border and in ensuring that the cordial relations between the people of Assam and Arunachal remain undisturbed,” Bora said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Wednesday that the Assam-Arunachal border dispute was in 12 areas comprising 123 villages, and it had been resolved in seven areas constituting 71 villages. The problem now needs to be resolved in five areas covering 52 villages.
At least 12 Assam residents were injured in the August 10 firing incident, which occurred within Assam’s territory.
