Assam will secure its territory at any cost: CM Biswa Sarma on clash with Mizoram

assam

SILCHAR: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today gave his version of the events that led to the deaths of 5 police personnel during a skirmish with their Mizoram counterparts in disputed border territory.

Sarma claimed that for around 6 months, civilians, as well as security personnel from Mizoram, have been attempting to encroach in 5 sectors of the state.

Biswa Sarma said immediately after taking oath (as chief minister), he had dialed up his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga and resolved to maintain amicable relations between the two states.

"I had suggested that we would take photographs with satellite and demarcate the status quo as per the pictures, Sarma said, adding that Zoramthanga had no objection to the matter.

Sarma said that the Mizoram Chief Secretary refused to accept this arrangement of the neighbouring state. "Consequently, in many areas of Hailakandi, Cachar, and Karimganj, we saw aggression from Mizoram citizens," Sarma said, adding that the Assam police were able to push back.

The CM said that on July 25 last, the forest officials Silchar had informed that people from the Mizoram side had begun construction of a road in the inner line forest in the state.

Sarma said that a delegation of the district reached the location and saw that an armed outpost was set up following which the Assam police urged the Kolasib SP to remove the post.

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"Even though they left the post initially, they later returned with civilians wielding weapons such as catapults," said Sarma.

According to Biswa Sarma, the Kolasib and an Assam Police DIG were having talks when Mizoram police opened fire.

Sarma further added that Mizoram police personnel, who were perched on higher ground, opened fire on their Assamese counterparts with light machine guns and continued raining shots for "30-35 minutes."

Five police personnel from the state-- Sapan Kumar Roy, Liton Suklabaidya, Samsud Jaman Borbhuiya, Marjul Haque Borbhuiya, and Nazmul Hussain -- were killed during the firing.

Biswa Sarma said that "not an inch of land" of Assam's land has been encroached on in the contested territories by other states.

"Despite the deaths of 5 personnel, our personnel are still posted at the location and we have not left a single inch," Sarma said.

He added that the Assam police has deserted the armed post, handing it to the CRPF. Assam police personnel have retreated 100 metres from the spot, but Mizoram police personnel are still at the spot, said Sarma.

Sarma had gone to Silchar to pay tributes to the 5 martyred police personnel and visited SMCH to enquire about the health status of our injured personnel.