Home Secretary level talks at Lailapur Assam; Mizoram resolve to restore peace

Oct.21: The Home Secretaries of Assam and Mizoram held a high level meeting on Wednesday to resolve the border flare up. A team of officials from Assam and Mizoram led by the Home Secretaries met at an Army camp close to Lailapur along the inter state boundary on Wednesday morning to resolve the imbroglio and to bring back complete peace and normalcy in the disturbed areas.

The meeting held in a very cordial atmosphere with both the sides agreeing to restore peace and tranquility along the border areas and to instil a sense of security among the people. As part of confidence building measures, both the sides would have interaction and coordination once in a month at the Deputy Commissioners level, SPs level and DFO level to hammer out any issues.

Assam Home Secretary, Gyanendra Dev Tripathi asked his Mizoram counterpart to withdraw forces from Assam’s territory and to maintain status quo. He said the presence of Mizoram policemen have also caused a fear psychosis in the minds of truckers and helpers and to withdraw the same at the earliest. Mizoram Home Secretary Pi Lalbiaksangi said that she would place the request from Assam to the higher authorities for withdrawal of forces. Meanwhile, she urged the Assam counterpart to first ensure movement of trucks laden with essential commodities stranded on Assam side of the border as soon as possible.

It was also decided in the meeting that both the states would provide security to the people living on both sides of the border. The Assam Home Secretary asked his counterpart to bring to book the miscreants who burnt down huts and stalls on Assam side of the border on Saturday night.

Tripathi assured that the state government and the district administration are persuading the owners and truckers to start movement of trucks carrying essential goods so that people on other side of the border do not face hardship. “We are for people to people contact and keeping every mode of communication open so that the camaraderie and bonhomie that exist between the people of both neighbouring states prevail,” he added. Tripathi asked Lalbiaksangi to ensure that there is no encroachment in reserved forest areas.

Assam’s Director General of Police (Special – Border Wing) Mukesh Agarwal said that truck drivers of and other vehicles, stranded in southern Assam are unwilling to go to Mizoram without adequate security. He said that the issue must be resolved immediately for the interest of the people of both states.

Later, briefing the media at Lailapur Beat Office, Home Secretary Tripathi said the meeting held in a cordial atmosphere resolved to bring back peace and normalcy in the troubled areas. He said that Assam has asked Mizoram to withdraw its forces. Home Secretary, Lalbiaksangi said that the Mizoram Government will ensure security to the truckers coming from Assam side and requested the Assam Government to start the movement of stranded vehicles.

The Assam side was represented by besides Home Secretary, Tripathi and Special DGP Border, Agarwal, Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, Keerthi Jalli, Deputy Commissioner, Karimganj, M.Ambumathan, DIG, Southern Range, Dilip Kumar Dey, SP, Cachar, BL Meena, SP, Karimganj, Mayank Kumar, DFO, Cachar, Sunny Deo Choudhury, DFO, Karimganj, Md.Jalnur Ali and Chiranjeev P. Jain, IFS (P) while the Mizoram side was represented by besides Home Secretary, Lalbiaksang, IGP, LH Shanliana, DIG, Lalbiakthanga Khangte, OSD cum Deputy Secretary, Home, David L. Lalthanliana and Deputy Commissioner, Kolasib, Dr H Lalthlangliana.