Fresh clashes erupted at a disputed village along the Assam-Meghalaya interstate boundary as locals from both sides used bows and arrows and catapults to attack each other. No injuries were reported from the incident, reported PTI, citing officials.
The incident took place in Lapangap village along the boundary between Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district and Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday.
The situation was later brought under control. On Wednesday morning, the situation remained tense and police forces from both states prevented villagers from congregating at the spot where the clash occurred.
Lapangap village elder (Waheh Shnong) Deimonmi Lyngdoh claimed that farmers from the village tending to their paddy fields were attacked with catapults, bows and arrows by people from Assam who were hiding near the fields. Following the attack, at least 250-300 villagers retaliated with bows and arrows and catapults, with the tension lasting the entire day yesterday, he claimed.
The incident comes months after violence broke out in a village on the Assam-Meghalaya border that killed six people.
On November 22, at least six people, including five Meghalaya residents and a forest guard from Assam, were killed in a firing incident in Mukroh along a disputed section of the Assam-Meghalaya interstate boundary.
In March last year, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma signed a “historic” agreement in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the settlement of the interstate boundary between the two states, particularly in six of the 12 disputed areas.
There are a total of 12 disputed areas between the two states.
Earlier in May, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma over the border dispute between the two states.
Sarma had said that six of the 12 disputed areas have been resolved.