"Police could have exercised some control while resorting to fire": Assam CM

 

Digital Desk: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Wednesday that police may have "exercised some control" while resorting to firing to deal with the situation along the border with Meghalaya, which resulted in the deaths of five people from the neighbouring state on Tuesday morning.

 

Sarma first stated that the event had nothing to do with the inter-state boundary conflict, but rather was a "clash" between citizens of Meghalaya and forest protection force personnel from Assam over a seized truck "smuggling out illicit timber."

 

The shooting, which also killed an Assam forest guard, took place at Mukhrow, which is within the jurisdiction of Jirikinding police station in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district.

 

"However, I believe that the amount of firing resorted to by the Assam police was unnecessary.  I believe there was some unprovoked firing. The loss of five people is tragic for all of us, and the police might have done more to prevent it," Sarma said after the inauguration of a three-day celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of Ahom general Lachit Barphukan in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Both Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma said efforts to resolve the border issue would not be impacted by the firing.

A government delegation visited the grieving family members on Wednesday under Sangma's direction. The team handed over Rs 5 lakh in exgratia to each victim's family and promised them justice.

Sangma assured the protesting pressure groups that Assam was fully collaborating with Meghalaya and that a cabinet committee will visit Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on November 24.

Five pressure organizations will hold a sit-in in Shillong on Thursday to demand protection for Meghalayans living around the border.