GUWAHATI/NONGPOH, Aug 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 a section of the residents had an altercation with members of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) who had visited the area.
The village is on the border between Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district and Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district.
West Karbi Anglong’s Superintendent of Police, Ajagwran Basumatary told The Shillong Times that a group of 100 people from Meghalaya came with a police team from Mawlasnai outpost to 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 about 20 km from the interstate border. The in-charge of Ulukonchi police outpost intervened and prevented them from proceeding further,” Basumatary said.
Video footage on some media platforms 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,” Basumatary said.
He added that the Additional SP, the officer in charge of Baithalangso police station and the in-charge of Ulukonchi outpost have been stationed at Umlapher.
About 200 people from Meghalaya had gheraoed the temporary Assam police camp at Umlaper on Tuesday morning to protest the alleged assault of three Khasi youths on Monday evening. A temporary check post was vandalised.
The Assam police camp was set up as a security measure for Independence Day.
A member of the HYC, who was part of the delegation to Umlaper said they had intended to meet the Khasi people in the area and not to create any law-and-order problem.
He blamed some Assam residents for creating trouble leading to chaos.
The argument led to stone-pelting from protestors on the Assam side of the area. One of the stones reportedly hit Ri-Bhoi Deputy Superintendent of Police, F. Rehaman on the head.
“The police of both the states were drawn into the argument with an Assam police officer even asking his Meghalaya counterpart to resign for his inability to control the mob,” he said.
But officials from the two neighbouring districts soon brought the situation under control.
Sources said the authorities of Ri-Bhoi and West Karbi Anglong districts will soon hold a joint discussion on the issues along the disputed stretch of the interstate boundary for ensuring peace.
Ampareen for Himanta’s intervention
On the sidelines, a concerned Ampareen Lyngdoh, Congress MLA from East Shillong, has sought the immediate intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the recurring skirmishes between residents of the two states in select disputed areas.
After viewing the footage of the incident on social media, the MLA said that she is disappointed with the aggressive approach adopted by the Assam government.
“This conflict strategy adopted will not yield the ideal result required from the two neighbouring states engaged in dialogue for a mutual settlement on this vexed issue,” she pointed out.
Stressing that mutual trust and respect built over years of interaction should be adhered to, she added, “All matters relating to resolution of our border dispute should commence respectfully”.
