After deploying huge force and inducing fear, trucks escorted to Mizoram in presence of ministers

At 6:00 pm, the Guardian Minister of Cachar, Ashok Singhal, and Forest and Environment Minister as well as the local MLA, Parimal Suklabaidya reached Lailapur Police Station. They met a few locals and urged them to withdraw from the economic blockade. Sources in the meeting said Singhal was getting one after another call from the Home Minister of Mizoram, Lalchamliana.

At 6:30 pm, four trucks got vandalised by the general public of Lailapur. The superintendent of Police, Cachar, Ramandeep Kaur moved force and rescued the truckers away from the mob. “By the time we finished meeting with the first lot, another 2000 emotional residents of Assam reached Lailapur and refused to let vehicles pass through to Mizoram. More meetings had to be scheduled,” said Ashok Singhal.

At 9:00 pm, in presence of both the ministers, trucks were escorted to Mizoram. The roads to Mizoram were blocked on July 26 and since then the supply of essential goods has remained disrupted. Mizoram government moved to the Home Ministry complaining against the blockade. Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed Singhal to visit the spot and convince the public to withdraw from the strike. When the convincing did not work, hundreds of armed men started gathering in Lailapur. Men with tear gas, Marksman, Rakshak, Vraja, and other counter-terrorism and riot control machinery were unleashed on the road. “Had they use such artillery on July 26, fewer of our men would have died and we could have retained the post we conceded,” whispered a passerby.

The message for the locals was loud and clear. Next will be action. “Going against our will, we are letting trucks pass as we fear bullets,” said a local. “Government abandoned us today. Our government is not with us while the Mizoram government fully backs their movement. This is our pain,” said another. Emotions were high, but the helpless people of Lailapur, Bagha and Dholai rushed off the road for the ministers to see the trucks pass one after another.

“We have assured security to the truckers inside Assam and now it is up to you to ensure they are safe in Mizoram,” Singhal was heard talking to his counterparts over the phone. “The general public demanded an investigation of the incident on July 26 and we assured them, that all the measures will be taken to ensure justice to six Assam Police personnel martyred and those who are still at the hospital,” added Singhal.

The representatives of the general public, whom the ministers met at Lailapur Police Outpost, also raised a few demands but those remained unheard. “We wanted the Mizo Forces to hand over the post where our soldiers were martyred to the Central Forces, they did not agree. The post is guarded by the Mizo IR Battelion, who shot our men dead. Before they vacated the post, trucks moved to Mizoram, this is an insult to the residents of Lailapur and all men in uniform. Also, they have installed fresh check gates with Kolashib Police written on them. Their civilians are arbitrarily demarcating the borders, creating a new map of Mizoram,” said a senior citizen who lives in the locality.

Last year, Lailapur’s Intaj Ali was killed in Mizoram’s custody. Two schools were bombed by the Mizo miscreants and the DIG Southern Range went on to say that “This is terrorism that the Mizos have unleashed.” However, there was no investigation, there was no arrest. The locals questioned the ministers, why is Mizoram given a free ride to carry out unlawful activities within the territory of Assam.

What is also worth mentioning here is that Lakhipur MLA Kaushik Rai went on record to say that the local BJP will go against the Police and government to support the residents of Lailapur to make the economic blockade a successful one. In what can be deemed as a complete “U” turn, a local BJP leader considered to be the right-hand man of Parimal Suklabaidya and Cachar District President Bimolendu Roy were seen shooing people off the road.