Aizawl: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed along the disputed Assam-Mizoram border is facing flak for the clash that took place Monday. It left six people dead and more than 50 injured as police forces of Assam and Mizoram fired upon one another. The CRPF has been criticised from various quarters for allegedly failing to carry out its ‘responsibility’ as a neutral force.
A Mizoram minister, the local MLA and the village council chief alleged that the CRPF were unable to prevent ‘Assam policemen and civilians from entering the neighbouring state and overrun security forces’ camps inside Mizoram near Vairengte.
Central paramilitary forces have been deployed along the Mizoram-Assam border by the Central government. It has been done to defuse tension and maintain peace following a border standoff in August last year. While the CRPF are deployed on the Mizoram side, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) are camped on the Assam side in Lailapur.
Mizoram Information and Public Relations Minister Lalruatkima alleged that the paramilitary forces did not restrain armed police personnel and civilians from Assam from intruding into Mizoram territory despite the vulnerability of the situation.
“The bloody clash could have been averted had CRPF personnel prevented Assam police from entering Mizoram territory and put restrain on them,” Lalruatkima, who is currently camping at Vairengte, told this agency. He alleged that unarmed Mizoram police officers were denied protection by CRPF personnel when they rushed to the base when the firing took place between two state forces Monday.
Officials of the CRPF were not available for comment.
Lalrinsanga Ralte, the MLA of Serlui constituency under which Vairengte falls, accused the CRPF of backing the police personnel and civilians from Assam in entering Mizoram territory. He also alleged that Assam police took over the CRPF camp and drove out around 15 personnel of Mizoram police from their duty post located a few metres away from the CRPF camp on the outskirt of Vairengte.
The MLA claimed that the people of Mizoram have lost faith in the paramilitary force as far as maintaining neutrality and restoring peace on the border areas are concerned.
Vairengte joint village council chairman R Lalfamkima also blamed the CRPF for allegedly failing to carry out their responsibility to defuse tension. Lalfamkima, who claimed to have been present at the incident site Monday, alleged that the CRPF personnel did nothing to stop the Assam team from proceeding and avert clashes.
In a statement Monday, the Assam government alleged that the Mizoram Police opened fire on its officials and civilians from two dominating high features with automatic weapons, including light machine guns (LMGs).
However, Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana claimed that the state police responded ‘spontaneously by firing back’ at Assam Police after its 200 personnel forcibly crossed a duty post manned by CRPF personnel and indulged in arson and firing and assaulted unarmed people.
