Mizoram police hunt for Myanmarese 'killers' as locals 'seal' border

The state police are investigating death of three people believed to have been killed by miscreants from Myanmar

Mizoram police are yet to make a breakthrough into the murder of three state residents allegedly by miscreants from Myanmar, a senior police officer said on Friday as locals in Siaha and Lawngtlai districts "sealed" parts of the India-Myanmar border in retaliation to the killing.

State Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said that the state police are aggressively investigating the death of three people, who were believed to have been killed by miscreants from the neighbouring country recently.

He said that police are looking for the whereabouts of two prime suspects, who were believed to be involved in the murder.

"We are yet to make a breakthrough in the case. Primarily, two suspects are under the police scanner. We are also in close contact with local residents there (Myanmar) for inputs about the whereabouts of the duo," Khiangte told PTI.

He said that a criminal case was registered at Siaha police station in the southern part of the state on March 23 in connection with the death of Biaksuii (48), Babloo Talukdar (37), both from Siaha district and B. Lalthafamkima (40), a resident of South Lungpher village in Mizoram's southernmost Lawngtlai district.

"The case is a very complicated as it involves two countries. We can't conduct a search in Myanmar and the MEA must be involved for that. We can arrest the culprits if they enter Mizoram," Khiangte said .

According to the IG, the three victims entered Myanmar from Ainak village in Siha district on March 19.

Their charred bodies were recovered from a forest inside Myanmar about 2 kilometres from the international border on March 23, he said.

They were believed to have been killed and their bodies burnt by the miscreants, after an altercation over money, he said.

The culprits were once believed to be linked to a rebel outfit before they left it, Khiangte added.

Meanwhile, organisations in Siaha and Lawngtlai districts "sealed" the India-Myanmar border in at least 4 sectors stopping people from Myanmar from entering the state and also "banning" state residents from crossing over to the neighbouring country after the incident. Mizoram shares a 510 km long international border with Myanmar. According to a bilateral agreement, people from both countries can move up to 16 km on either side of the border.