Days after the Assam-Mizoram clashes claimed the lives of six policemen and injured several others, investigations have now embroiled leading politicians and administrators from the two states. According to the Mizoram Police, criminal cases have been filed against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, four senior officers of the state police and two other officials. Meanwhile, the Assam Police has issued summons to Mizoram's Rajya Sabha MP and six state officials for their alleged role in the border violence.
Sarma and other members of the Assam administration have been booked under various charges, including attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy, Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarter) John Neihlaia told PTI. Accordingly, the four police officers and the two administrative officials have been summoned for questioning on Sunday.
The four senior Assam Police officers named in the FIR are Inspector General of Police (IGP) Anurag Aggarwal, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Cachar Devojyoti Mukherjee, Cachar Superintendent of Police Cahndrakant Nimbalkar, and officer in-charge of Dholai police station, Sahab Uddin. Cases have also been registered against 200 unidentified Assam Police personnel.
While Mizoram Chief Minister has repeatedly expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, other members of his party do not seem to share the sentiment. Earlier this week, Rajya Sabha MP and Mizo National Front leader K Vanlalvena prompted outrage, issuing 'death threats' while standing outside the Parliament.
"They (Assam cops) gave firing orders first, before we fired. They are lucky that we didn't kill them all. If they come again, we shall kill them all," he was quoted as saying. The remarks had prompted the Assam Police to conclude that the MP had played an active role in the conspiracy behind the incident.
The police has now issued summons to Mizoram's Rajya Sabha member and six state officials, including a Deputy Commissioner and a Superintendent of Police for their alleged role in the clashes. They have been asked to appear before the investigating officer on August 2. An eight-member police team had travelled to Delhi to serve the police summons to Vanlalvena. Unable to find him at his residence and Mizoram Bhavan, they had pasted the summons on the door.
In another development, 15 MLAs of Assam's Barak Valley, cutting across all political parties, have decided to move court against the Superintendent of Police of Mizoram's Kolasib District for his "barbaric act that led to the death of six Assam police men and scores of people injured". The meeting of the MLAs was chaired by Assam's Urban Development Minister Ashol Singhal.
(With inputs from agencies)
