8 huts set ablaze, tension escalates along Mizoram-Assam border

Tension flared along the Mizoram-Assam border after eight farmers' huts were set ablaze by unidentified miscreants, a senior police officer said on Monday.

The incident happened a day after a meeting of chief ministers of northeastern states chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Shillong, during which the border issue was raised.

Mizoram Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range), Lalbiakthanga Khiangte, told PTI that at least eight unoccupied farm huts near Aitlang stream in the trouble-torn area were torched around 11.30 pm on Sunday.

He said these belonged to farmers from Vairengte, the nearest border village from Assam.

Complaints have been lodged by owners of the huts at Vairengte police station and investigation is underway, Khiangte said.

The situation along the Mizoram-Assam border has been on the boil since June-end when Assam Police allegedly took control over an area known as 'Aitlang hnar' about 5 km from Vairengte, accusing the neighbouring state of encroaching on its territory.

Several crops and betel nut trees belonging to a Mizoram farmer were also reportedly damaged during the eviction drive, as claimed by Assam Police and officials at Buarchep near Phainuam village, on July 10.

On the same day, a grenade was allegedly hurled on an Assam government team visiting the border by unknown people.

Both the states have been blaming each other for two back-to-back explosions across the border in the early hours of July 11.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga had raised the border issue during the meeting with his counterparts from other northeastern states on Sunday, officials said.

He informed the Union Home Minister that border disputes among states of the region is a legacy issue of the colonial era, they said.

Zoramthanga had also said that large tracts of land claimed by Assam to be within its constitutional boundary have been used for collection of forest produce and cultivation for more than 100 years by the people of Mizoram.

Mizoram shares a 164.6-km-long inter-state border with Assam.