Mizoram Police files FIR against Assam CM

SARMA ASKS WHY THE PROBE CAN’T BE CARRIED OUT BY A NEUTRAL AGENCY

GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: In an escalation following Monday’s border gunfight between their two police forces that left six Assam policemen dead, Mizoram filed an FIR over the incident, naming the Chief Minister and other top officials of the neighbouring state in it.

As many as 200 unidentified Assam Police personnel have also been booked. Among the charges against Himanta and others are IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

Sarma, on his part, has asked why a neutral agency can’t investigate the matter.

The restive AssamMizoram border stayed quiet on Saturday, on the other hand, as Guwahati moved in to defuse tensions with some of its north-eastern neighbours to ensure tranquillity along the interstate boundaries, officials said.

A First Information Report was filed under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including “attempt to murder”, at the Vairengte Police Station in Kolasib district of Mizoram, which borders Assam’s Cachar.

The report said Assam police personnel, acting under instructions from Sarma himself, refused to have an “amicable dialogue” with the Mizoram police on the day of the incident.

They “forcefully informed SP, Kolasib that the area falls within Assam territory and they intended to construct a camp as per the instruction of Chief Minister, Assam himself,” the FIR said.

“They had arrived at the spot with tents and other materials for construction of camp which clearly showed their intention to forcibly occupy the Mizoram BOP by force, as their convoy of vehicles consists of Ambulances and around 20 vehicles,” it said.