GUWAHATI, August 25: Umlaper, a border village claimed by both Meghalaya and Assam, was in the thick of things for the second day in a row on Wednesday after several people from Ri-Bhoi entered West Karbi Anglong territory and had an altercation with residents.
On Tuesday, a group of protesters from Umlaper “retaliated” and forced a police team from Ulukonchi outpost in West Karbi Anglong to vacate a temporary camp and check-gate after three youths hailing from the village in Ri Bhoi were allegedly assaulted by Assam Police personnel posted at the check gate on Monday evening.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Wednesday, Hamren superintendent of police Ajagwran Basumatary informed that a group of 100 people from Meghalaya came to the village again with police from Mawlasnai outpost and created a tense situation in the border village (referred to as Umlapher in Assam).
“There was a tense situation for some time after the people entered Umlapher from a route that would be about 20 kilometres from the inter-state border. The in-charge of Ulukonchi police outpost however intervened and prevented them from proceeding further,” Basumatary said.
Video footage circulating in the media also showed the in-charge officers of Ulukonchi and Mawlasnai police outposts confronting each other. Another video showed residents creating a hue and cry while catching hold of a person from a paddy field as he tried to escape.
“There was a confrontation between the police officers. The people who came from Meghalaya were later forced to retreat. The situation is peaceful now but we will be monitoring things to prevent any such recurrence. Currently, the additional SP, officer in-charge (Baithalangso), and in-charge of Ulukonchi outpost are stationed at Umlapher,” the Hamren SP said.
It may be mentioned that on Tuesday, about 200 people from Meghalaya had gheraoed the temporary Assam police camp, set up as a security measure for Independence Day, around 9.30am in protest against the alleged assault of three Khasi youths on Monday evening. A temporary check post was also vandalised.
The situation was defused soon after police officials of both states intervened.