Mizo Home Minister visits place of 'violence' by Assam cops

Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana today visited Buhchangphai on Mizoram-Hailakandi (Assam) border where Assam Police personnel were allegedly involved in anti-social activities thrice in the past week.
The policemen from Assam allegedly looted belongings of Mizo people, threatened them to leave the place and dismantled two private farm houses at Buhchangphai, building up tension between the two neighbouring Congress ruled states.
The minister told the policemen deployed in the area not to hesitate to use guns to protect the lives and properties of the people living in the border area.
"You should not hesitate to use guns against miscreants and law-breakers who cross the border to attack the people of the state on our soil," he told the policemen.

Two kutcha farm houses Laldawngliana of Buhchangphai were dismantled by Assam Police and Forest officials on April 27, the police said. They were later reconstructed by the Young Mizo Association but were again dismantled yesterday.
Earlier on April 23, two Assam Forest officials, six Assam Armed Police and 10 Bru people forcibly snatched 50 timbers, one goat and two chickens from the farm workers of Laldawngliana, the police said.

In his visit today, the home minister was accompanied by state Environment and Forests minister Lalrinmawia Ralte, two Parliament Secretaries and senior police officials.
The state's lone Rajya Sabha member Lalhming Liana also visited Buhchangphai today and also visited a place near Bairabi where Assam Forest department constructed a rest house inside Mizo soil.

Meanwhile, Mizoram Congress today adopted a resolution condemning the incidents and sought intervention of the central government, party sources said.
Copies of the resolution were sent to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Assam's Chief Minister, Home Minister and Environment and Forest Minister.
"Otherwise, the Mizoram government would be compelled to reciprocate the Assam government's action," the resolution added.
Border dispute between the two states is a recurring issue for long.