Border row: Ready to report to Mizoram Police if summoned, says Assam CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been charged with criminal conspiracy and attempt to murder by Mizoram Police after the clash at the inter-state border, Sunday said he is ready to report to Mizoram Police if summoned and faced arrest but will not allow state government officials whose name appeared in the FIR along with his to face any probe by the neighbouring state.

Sarma speaking to reporters here said he will not seek bail to avoid any summon by Mizoram Police.

He said only talks can solve the border dispute between the two states and any clash due to it are ‘’unacceptable’’ to the people of both Assam and Mizoram.

"If I am served a summon, I will go on a padyatra from Silchar to Vairengte and join the probe. If they (Mizram Police) arrests me and that brings the situation to normal, I am ready for that. I will not seek bail from Gauhati High Court," he told reporters.

About the state’s stand on protecting six Assam officers whose names too appeared in the FIR by Mizoram police after the border clash at Lailapur in Cachar district, he said "I have to protect my officers. I cannot allow them to be investigated by Mizoram Police for an incident which occured in Assam. We will not accept the summons issued to them," Sarma said.

The Mizoram police had lodged the FIR against Sarma and the Assam officials under various charges, including those related to attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy, at Vairengte police station on the night of July 26 after the gunfight between the police of the two states.

The clash had claimed the lives of seven persons, including six Assam Police personnel and left over 50 others, the Cachar superintendent of police among them, injured.

Sarma said "Our main focus is on keeping the spirit of North-East alive. What happened along the Assam-Mizoram border is unacceptable to the people of both states.

"Honble CM @ZoramthangaCM had promised to call me post his quarantine. Border disputes can only be resolved through discussion," he said in a tweet.

The Assam chief minister also said that the state government is preparing to file a case to file in the Supreme Court against Mizoram.

"Our advocates are preparing it and it is nearing completion. We will move the Supreme Court so that the boundary dispute can be amicably settled. If the SC says we are wrong, we will accept that," he added.

The Assam Police had also issued summons to six officials of Mizoram government, including the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Kolasib district, on July 28 and ordered them to appear at Dholai police station on Monday.

On the probe being conducted by both the states, Sarma said: "An investigation is required as precious lives were lost. So why should the Assam Police or Mizoram Police probe it. Let CBI or NIA investigate the matter neutrally."

Meanwhile, Mizoram government has said that it is ready to withdraw the FIR against Sarma.

Mizoram chief secretary Lalnunmawia Chuango said Chief Minister Zoramthanga did not approve the inclusion of Sarma's name in the FIR.

"In fact, our chief minister suggested to me that we should look into it," he told reporters.

Chuango said, "I will hold discussion with the police officer who filed the FIR, and if there is no legal fit, we would like to remove the name of the Assam chief minister from the FIR".

He said that he was unaware of the development when the criminal case was filed against Sarma.

The chief secretary, however, did not mention whether the cases filed against six Assam officials, including four senior Assam Police officers, and 200 unidentified police personnel will be withdrawn.

The FIR was registered by Vairengte police station officer-in-charge Lalchawimawia on July 26.

The six Assam officers were asked to appear before the investigating officer at the Vairengte police station on Sunday.

Assam Police summoned Mizoram Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena and six others officials, including Kolasib deputy commissioner H Lalthlangliana and superintendent of police Vanlalfaka Ralte for interrogation on Sunday, Mizoram official said.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Sarma and Zoramthanga over phone.

"As per telephonic discussion with Union Home Minister and Assam Chief Minister, we agreed to resolve the Mizoram-Assam border issue amicably through meaningful dialogue," Zoramthanga tweeted.

He urged the people of Mizoram to refrain from posting "sensitive messages and make judicious use of social media platform,

Tension was palpable at the Assam-Mizoram border on Sunday as vehicles, including trucks carrying essential supplies did not ply for the sixth day. The situation at Lailapur border in Assam, where the clash took place, was, however, calm with a large number of CRPF troops patrolling NH-306 which runs through the inter-state border, officials said.

Vehicular movement in Barak valley came to a halt even though there is no bar in travelling from one state to the other, they said.

Dozens of trucks with essential supplies, including COVID-19 materials, are waiting at the Kabuganj-Dholai stretch in Cachar district.

"The organised blockade on roads leading to Mizoram has been lifted and no group is now on the streets to stop trucks or other vehicles. But aggrieved civilians are now stopping vehicles. Also, trucks and other commercial vehicles are not taking any risk and they themselves are not trying to move," an official said.

Vehicles from the Mizoram side are also not entering Assam and only official and security vehicles are plying on the road, he said.