Tension on Assam-Mizoram border continues to prevail even after violence

Officials in Assam's Cachar district said around 100 Mizo civilians backed by a company of Mizoram police intruded into the "Constitutional territory" of the district

The tension still prevails on the "disputed" Assam-Mizoram border as security forces of both states exchanged allegations of "intrusion" following Saturday's violence.

Officials in South Assam's Cachar district said around 100 Mizo civilians backed by a company of Mizoram police intruded into the "Constitutional territory" of the district since Saturday and disrupted work being done by the Assam Forest Department.

Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana, however, on Monday alleged that crops of Mizo farmers were destroyed by Assam police personnel, who intruded into their territory. He demanded the Assam government give compensation to the affected farmers.

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He stated that additional Mizoram police forces have been deployed in the affected areas to remove public fear and ensure a sense of normalcy.

Cachar district officials said they heard sounds of two explosions on the border on Saturday creating more fear among people living close to the inter-state border.

The fresh tension took place on Saturday when chief secretaries of both the states were meeting in New Delhi to discuss the long border dispute issue. The meeting, however, remained inconclusive. In the meeting, Assam asked Mizoram to stop violence in the area.

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Three districts of the southern Assam's Barak Valley - Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar - share a 123-km-long border with Mizoram's Mamit, Kolasib and Aizawl districts.

The border dispute between the two states is a long problem. Assam says the boundary demarcated in 1933 notification should be maintained while Mizoram insists that the same drawn in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1875 should be the actual boundary.

Violence broke out in October last year and in February this year, in which some schools were even allegedly bombed by miscreants from Mizoram's side. Mizoram, on the other hand, claimed that the schools were set up by Assam officials in their land.