Assam resident Intiaz Ali dies in Mizoram custody; "SP Cachar has written to Kolasib Police," DIG South Assam

It is no longer just a boundary dispute. The conflict between Assam and Mizoram has life and death involved now. Yesterday morning, Lailapur – Cachar resident Intiaz Ali went missing from the forest located in Assam. Like every day, he had gone to collect stray woods and bamboos from the forest area located next to his house.

“He was not alone, there were others from our village too. They saw Mizo miscreants running towards them and then they ran away. My brother could not, and his friends saw the Mizo miscreants abducting him,” said Intiaz Ali’s brother.

By evening, the family’s doubts started to become true. “The Mizos who knew us started saying something has happened. Within moments we got to know that the Mizos shared an image of my brother on WhatsApp, he looked dead. We have also got the image and it is clear that he has been brutally beaten,” shared Intiaz Ali’s brother.

SP Cachar had said in the morning that they have got to know about an arrest made by the Kolasib Police. No official statement was made by the Mizoram government. However, on Social Media, the Mizo people claimed that he was arrested while trying to smuggle heroin into Mizoram.

DIG Southern Range Assam, Dilip Dey broke the news which comes as a nightmare for the people in Barak Valley. “SP Kolasib has informed that Intiaz Ali has died in Mizoram’s custody,” said DIG Southern Assam. He added, “SP Cachar has written to his counterpart SP Kolasib urging the Mizoram Police to follow all the National Human Rights Commission guidelines applicable in the case of custodial death.”

The DIG Southern Range asserted, “It is Mizoram Police’s responsibility to ensure free and fair investigation of the issue. A case has been registered in Dholai Police Station too. If the post mortem is done there, we have asked them to share videographic evidence of the same with us. We have also briefed senior officials about the incident and the Government of India is likely to look into the matter.”

When asked if Intiaz Ali was a smuggler or just a common 40-year-old daily wager, the DIG said it won’t be possible to comment without an investigation. The family, on the other side, has claimed that the Mizoram Police is involved in this abduction and is trying to frame Intiaz Ali.

It is undoubtedly shocking news, but the DIG has appealed to the people of Assam to not be reactive at this stage. “I request to the people of Cachar to not blow this case out of proportion. And at the same time, assure them that the Police is looking into the matter.”