Damaged security force vehicles at the site of the Mondays clashes at Lailapur on the Assam-Mizoram border in Cachar district on Tuesday.
At least six Assam Police personnel were killed and several others suffered injuries in clashes at Assam-Mizoram border on Monday, July 26. Both the state's claim land on the border between Cachar in Assam and Kolasib in Mizoram. In October last year, residents of Assam and Mizoram had clashed twice over the territory, leaving a dozen injured.
Dispute dates back to British era
The border dispute between Assam and Mizoram dates backs to the British era. In 1875, a notification was issued that differentiated Lushai Hills from the plains of Cachar (a district in Assam). In 1933, another notification was issued that demarcated a boundary between Lushai Hills and Manipur.
Mizoram claims that the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification, which is derived from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act, 1873. However, Assam government follows the 1933 demarcation, and that is the point of conflict.
Mizoram argues that the 1933 demarcation notification was issued without any consultation with the Mizo society.
Both the states now claim land on the border between Assam's Cachar and Mizoram's Kolasib district. They accuse each other of encroachment.
Mizoram was earlier a part of Assam and was called Lushai Hills. It was declared a Union Territory in 1972 and granted statehood in 1987.
Assam shares inter-state boundaries with Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and West Bengal. Mizoram, on the other hand, shares border with three states -- Assam, Tripura and Manipur.
Assam and Mizoram share a boundary of about 165 km. The border districts in Assam are Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The border districts in Mizoram are Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit.
READ MORE: 6 Assam Police personnel dead, 50 injured as violence at border with Mizoram intensifies
