DC Hailakandi responds to allegation of kidnapping Mizo JCB Operator as baseless & fictitious

Sept 2: Mizoram on Thursday accused Assam police of assaulting and kidnapping a JCB operator by Assam Police. In a letter written to his counterpart in Assam’s Hailakandi district, Mizoram’s Kolasib Deputy Commissioner H. Lalthlangliana alleged that JCB operator was blindfolded and kidnapped from Aitlang area by the Assam Police. However, responding to the allegations, Rohan Jha, Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi informed his counterpart in Kolasib that the allegations levied by him on Assam Police are “baseless & fictitious.”

Rather, DC Hailakandi informed H. Lalthlangliana that, “I had requested you to dismantle the two camps and one bunker, set up by the Mizoram Police on the 26th of August. 2021 in Inner Line Reserve Forest, at Kachurthal Balicherra area, in Innerline Reserve Forest, Hailakandi. But there was no action taken from your end to descalate the issue. It came to the notice of the undersigned today that a new camp and a road was being built by Mizoram Police at Kachurthal Balicherra area, in the Inner line Reserve Forest, Hailakandi, within the constitutional boundary of Assam. Such instances of construction and force deployment inside the constitutional boundary of Assam are in clear violation of the Joint Statement issued by both the governments on the 5th of August and are very detrimental in the peace keeping efforts along the interstate border.”

DC Hailakandi further alleged, “Today, on the 2nd of September, 2021, Assam Forest staff along with the Assam Police went to the Kachurthal Balicherra area and noticed that a road was being constructed inside the constitutional boundary of Assam and instructed the driver to stop the construction and immediately return to Mizoram. Assam police informed the Mizoram resident that he has trespassed into the land of Assam and he shall be arrested under relevant sections of CrPC, if the construction is not stopped. The driver immediately stopped the construction and on fear of arrest, went back to Kolasib district.”

DC Rohan Jha denied all allegations made by Mizoram against Assam Police and wrote, “It may be brought to your kind notice that, as alleged by your good self, there was no illegal act done by the Assam Police, but it was a routine intervention to stop illegal encroachment within the constitutional boundary of Assam. The allegations mentioned in your letter are baseless and fictitious. Further, it is imperative that the jhum farmers residing in the inter border areas in Kolasib district should be counseled and instructed by your good office, not to start any new construction within the constitutional boundary of Assam in the inter-state border area.”