Hundreds walk towards Dholai for safety after Mizo Police detains two labourers; Locals cry for Centre's intervention

Mass exodus from three villages in Cachar. Friday witnessed a war-like scenario in Cachar’s Tulartall area that shares an interstate border with Mizoram. Tulartall is an area under Sonai Revenue Circle – Dholai Police Station.

According to the locals, armed men from Mizoram detained two local labours and then took them to Mizoram. They also tried to detain four other daily wagers. “We saw the Mizo Police running towards us and that is why we jumped in the water and swam to the other side. This is the same place where we went and worked a week back and for ages we knew it to be a part of Assam. Today, they are claiming that we have illegally entering Mizoram illegally,” said a local labour who escaped from the grasp of armed Mizo men.

Another individual said, “The Mizo police walked in and said if you try to run we will shoot you. We are being threatened every day by the aggressive Mizo men. The sad part is that we are left abandoned by the Assam Police and the Assam Government which we have voted for years. We took part in the last election too and played a role in electing Silchar MP and Dholai MLA, so how can we be in Mizoram?”

The man walked out of his home with his wife and children and with teary eyes said, “We are leaving our own house and walking towards Dholai. Never in my wildest dreams I thought we will have to live life like refugees but what can we do when we have rifles pointing towards us and we are standing bare-chest.”

Hundreds of families living in the three villages are walking towards Dholai. MLA of the constituency Parimal Suklabaidya who is also the Minister for Forest and Environment, Fishery and Excise visited the spot. He urged the locals to not panic and stay back at their houses. However, the locals are not convinced by the verbal assurance from the Minister.

“When a school can be bombed and a DFO can be threatened who are we poor people who live hand to mouth. There are few constables deployed by Assam Police while the aggressive Mizo locals are backed by armed Mizo Indian Reserve jawans, Police force. We urge the government of Assam to take our pain into account,” said a lady who is also moving away with her family.

Cachar Police has informed that two labourers contracted by the Cachar Forest Division was detained by the Mizo Police. “Both of them have been released and they have safely returned,” said SP Cachar – Bhanwar Lal Meena.

The Police confirmed that Mizoram has not withdrawn forces from the border. Due to the presence of these armed men, the truck drivers are unwilling to travel to Mizoram. Hundreds of trucks are parked on Assam’s side of the border. Meanwhile, Cachar administration has issued a press release stating that it has interacted with the truck drivers and requested them to ply to Mizoram.

On the other hand, Images of bunkers being built by locals in Mizoram have gone viral on social media. Locals have requested the Central Government to intervene immediately or else, they believe, it could blow way beyond just an interstate border skirmish.