Lapangap villagers protest in Shillong over Meghalaya-Assam border dispute

Hundreds of residents from Lapangap village, situated along the Meghalaya-Assam border, descended on Shillong on Wednesday, May 13, to demand government action over a longstanding boundary dispute and alleged harassment by groups from the Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

 

The protesters, mostly farmers, gathered at Barik Point before marching towards the Main Secretariat. They were joined by members of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU) from the Nartiang Circle and the West Jaintia Hills District Unit.

 

At the heart of the protest is an unresolved territorial dispute that villagers say has left them unable to farm their own land safely. Recurring tensions along the border have disrupted agricultural activities, with residents alleging interference from Karbi groups and Assam Police in areas critical to their livelihoods. Many carried placards reading "Whether we live or die, we will never give away our land."

 

The delegation presented four specific demands to the government: ensuring farmers can safely access their fields; removal of an Assam Police camp established at Lum Pynthor; correction of GPS boundary markings that the Assam government allegedly imposed on Google Maps; and permanent security protection for Lapangap farmers.

 

Protesters expressed deep frustration with what they described as hollow assurances from the state government. Despite repeated pledges to resolve the dispute, they said no tangible steps had been taken, leaving communities living in fear and uncertainty.

 

The Meghalaya-Assam boundary dispute remains one of the most contentious unresolved issues between the two north-eastern states, with multiple villages along the roughly 884-kilometre border affected by competing claims over land and jurisdiction.