Mizos earmark land within Assam in Lailapur as dumpyard; “Why insult our martyrs,” locals

July 26, 2021, 4:35 pm! Mizoram Armed Police opens fire at the Cachar delegation comprising of deputy commissioner of the district, SP of the district, DFO of the District’s forest division, IG of Assam Police and many many men in uniform serving the Assam Police. The delegation, as stated by the chief minister of Assam, went there to claim dominance over a post deep inside the constitutional boundary of Assam. That post was under the custody of Mizoram IR Battalion. They retreated as Assam marched but then bloodbath followed.

Six Assam Police Officials were shot dead and a total of 43 were admitted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital with bullet injuries. One among them happened to be Vaibhav Chandrakant Nimbalkar, one of the youngest applicants to crack IPS in India. He was then serving as the SP of Cachar district. 

On July 27, 2021, the sun rose with Mizoram IR Battalion back on the same post and at the sunset on December 5, 2022, they remained stationed there guarding what they now claim – Mizoram territory. 500 mtrs down the slope towards Assam, there is now the CRPF Camp setup to mediate as neutral force in the conflict zone. Adjacent to that camp, there is a massive dumping zone.

“Trucks loaded with garbage in Vairengte are unloaded at this newly earmarked dumping zone deep inside Assam. There is a CRPF camp stationed at this zone, astonishingly, they play the role of a mute spectator,” stated a local.

Barak Bulletin’s correspondent visited the spot and captured the visual of trash being dumped at the zone. “In 2019, the Mizos did the same. They started dumping garbage at a particular spot and later started that area to be under their jurisdiction. Last time also we went ahead and complained about the same to the local Police Station and Forest Department. This is a site where our jawans were martyred and it is important to preserve that zone as a mark of honour to the officials who lost their lives,” added the local resident.

https://barakbulletin.com/violating-aug-5-joint-agreement-mizoram-constructing-village-in-disputed-area-assam-files-written-complaint/?fbclid=IwAR3IOpA7DLbZ9CaSfD8yXgspohaM0xDmNNJoB60l1npwzxFCBD71TJJN81U

It is worth mentioning here that the dumping zone is around 500 mts down the hill towards Assam from the spot of firing. However, the exact location of shootout now stares at a massive village consisting of more than hundred households built by the Mizos. The government even sanctioned funds under schemes to develop the infrastructure there. “This is a reserve forest area. They have built a whole village in that area and now chopping timber from the forest area. The Cachar Forest Division is well aware of these activities, but there isn’t any reaction,” shares another local resident of Lailapur located at the Assam-Mizoram border.

Recently, the Home Minister of Mizoram publicly apologised for July 26 incident. Terming July 26 shootout an unfortunate incident, the Home Minister added that he has expressed his condolences to the family members of the deceased. But, many believe it’s hypocrisy to apologise during press briefing and create dumping zone at the ground Zero.

Also, what is the CRPF doing. The residents of Assam entering Mizoram through Lailapur are checked and questioned in a manner as if these are immigration departments at International Airports. But when it comes to Mizos, there is hardly any checking. All these are happening within the constituency of Dholai. It remains to be seen how Parimal Suklabaidya, Minister in Government of Assam, reacts to the encroachment in his constituency.