‘Mukroh firing not part of border talks’

SHILLONG, Aug 9: The Hynniewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum (HBDRF) on Wednesday made it clear that the Mukroh firing incident has no correlation with the ongoing border dispute resolution talks between Meghalaya and Assam.
The forum also warned officials in the Assam government against any attempt to project Mukroh as part of Assam since the village is within the territorial jurisdiction of Meghalaya.
Spokesperson of the forum, Thomas Passah told reporters that the inquiry commission instituted by the Assam government to probe the Mukroh firing incident on November 22 last year had mentioned that Mukroh falls under the jurisdiction of Jrikyndeng police station.
He said the statement only proves that Mukroh is very much within the boundary of Meghalaya since “Jrikyndeng” is a Pnar word and not an Assamese or Karbi word.
“Any attempt to link the Mukroh firing incident with the ongoing border talks would be seen as an attempt to mislead and to create confusion,” Passah said.
Six persons, including five from Meghalaya and one Assam forest guard staff, were killed in a firing incident that took place at the border village of Mukroh under Mookaiaw constituency in West Jaintia Hills on November 22 last year.