'Violence not border issue' claims Assam CM Himanta Sarma, Meghalaya CM refutes, says THIS

New Delhi: Amid huge violence which engulfed several districts along the border of Assam and Meghalaya, killing six including a forest guard, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, November 24, 2022, claimed that the conflict along his state's border with Meghalaya was unrelated to any "boundary issue" and that border-related conflicts with neighbouring states will soon be resolved. He claimed that when forest officials attempted to stop a vehicle carrying smuggled timber, "a conflict arose" between the locals and the police.

"But unfortunately, those who died are residents of Meghalaya. But it has nothing to do with territorial issue ... It was not a boundary issue," he said at the Times Now Summit here.

He said till 2014, most northeast states had Congress governments but no efforts were made to settle border disputes. He said half of the disputes of Assam with Meghalaya have been settled and the remaining will be settled by next year. With Arunachal Pradesh, all disputes will be settled within four to five months, he said.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, in a press conference, stressed that Assam Police personnel had fired upon "innocent people" in Mukroh village of Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills. However, he said that law and order has been maintained in the state. He also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah who assured him of acting on his request for a CBI probe into the "firing by Assam Police" along the states' border.

Delhi | We've requested GoI to constitute a central agency inquiry into this incident. Union Home Minister has assured inquiry to be constituted under a central agency: Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on Meghalaya-Assam border clash pic.twitter.com/BnV3aQzRbA — ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2022

Talking to reporters, he said he also demanded justice for the lives lost in the firing and sought action against those responsible during the meeting with Shah. The home ministry spokesperson later tweeted that Shah has assured a CBI probe -- a demand also raised by the Assam government -- into the firing incident.

Also Read: Situation tense in violence-hit Meghalaya, internet suspension extended

Six people, including a forest guard, were killed in violence along the Assam-Meghalaya border in the early hours of Tuesday, after a truck allegedly laden with illegally felled timber was intercepted by forest personnel of Assam.

(With agency inputs)