Assam-Arunachal border firing update: 11 injured, 3 critical; probe underway

Eleven Assam residents were allegedly injured, three of them critically, after unidentified armed persons reportedly opened fire along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Dhemaji district on August 11, police said.

The incident occurred in the Mingmang Badati area under Gogamukh Revenue Circle on Monday morning, amid allegations of land encroachment along the inter-state boundary.

According to an injured villager, a group of armed men in uniform approached the area where around 18 locals were working and allegedly opened fire following a confrontation over land.

“A group of armed men in uniform came towards us and started saying that they will take their land anyhow. Before we could say anything, they started firing,” the villager alleged. He said eight or nine people managed to escape unharmed.

The injured have been identified as Durgeshwar Patir, Rohit Doley, Nagaraj Doley, Bigneshwar Patir, Pame Pegu, Sanjay Tayung, Utpal Doley and Jan Doley. Police said the identities of the remaining injured persons were yet to be ascertained.

All 11 injured persons were initially taken to Gogamukh Rural Hospital. Seven, including three in critical condition, were subsequently shifted to Dhemaji Civil Hospital and later referred to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh for specialised treatment.

Residents of Mingmang Badati alleged that people from across the Arunachal Pradesh side had repeatedly attempted to encroach upon land in Assam.

“From their side, not only common people but senior police officers also came to encroach our land and the officers in uniform fired on us,” another injured person alleged.

Assam Police, however, said the allegations had not been verified and that an investigation was underway.

“We are investigating. We’ll also have a talk with officials of Arunachal Pradesh Police,” an investigating officer told reporters on Monday afternoon.

A large police force has been deployed in the area to prevent further escalation.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was aware of the incident and had directed the DGP, Chief Secretary and other senior officials to look into the matter and coordinate with their Arunachal Pradesh counterparts.

“I have instructed the DGP, Chief Secretary and other officials to look into it and they’ll also talk to their counterparts in Arunachal Pradesh,” Sarma said.

The chief minister, however, termed the incident a local land dispute rather than an issue between the two states, asserting that the overall situation remained peaceful.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share a border of more than 800 km, several stretches of which remain disputed and have witnessed sporadic localised clashes over allegations of land encroachment.