From Our Correspondent
BOKO, Aug 28: Fresh tension erupted in the disputed Langpih area on Wednesday, after a group from Meghalaya allegedly obstructed road repair work initiated by the Assam government near the Meghalaya-Assam border.
According to reports, on Wednesday morning, labourers and materials had been brought to install a culvert to prevent damage to the only road connecting Langpih to Boko in Assam. However, locals from Meghalaya stopped the workers and sent them back.
The 40-km stretch from Boko to the border was built by the Assam government about five years ago, but Khasi residents continue to claim the area as part of Meghalaya.
Labourer Gopal Sharma alleged that along with the locals, Meghalaya Police also obstructed the work. He further stated that a temporary bamboo hut built near the road was dismantled by unknown persons.
Following the incident, a team comprising Boko Police, a magistrate, and officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) reached the spot.
Meghalaya Police, led by Sub-Inspector B. Diengdoh, also arrived and engaged in heated exchanges with Assam officials, ordering them to leave.
Notably, in November 2021, the chief ministers of both states, along with ministers and officials, met at Langpih to address border disputes.
Out of 12 identified disputed locations, six have been resolved, but six more places, including Langpih, remain unsettled.