Guwahati: The economic blockade on Mizoram was lifted by locals in Assam late on August 7 night after more than four hours of parley between them and two Assam Ministers and officials.
Officials said nine goods trucks, stranded at Lailapur in southern Assam’s Cachar district, proceeded to Mizoram on National Highway 306 after the locals were assured of justice for six Assam policemen and a civilian killed in firing allegedly by Mizoram police personnel and armed civilians on July 26.
Lailapur is the last Assam town near the border with Mizoram.
Taking to Twitter, Singhal stated that the ministers, accompanied by Cachar police Deputy Commissioner, had been stationed all through Saturday evening to appease protesting locals and truck drivers to ensure transportation. Six policemen and one civilian were killed in Assam on July 26 amid violence in the Assam-Mizoram border.
Talking to the media, Singhal said, “People residing near Lailapur border and Truck Driver association were gathered here when we reached at 5:30 PM. We appeal to everyone not to spread unauthentic news and rumours to ensure peace at the border. I thank Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana for assuring free & fair investigation into the incident”.
Mr. Singhal had met the locals along with Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who is also the local MLA, Cachar’s Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli and Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur.
While the meeting was on, the local people pelted stones and vandalised some Mizoram-bound trucks.
“For some reason, the vehicle started moving before the meeting ended. Efforts to pacify the people were fruitless until the SP calmed the mob,” an official at the Lailapur police station said.
Mizoram’s Minister (Independent Charge) for Rural Development Lalruatkima thanked the Assam government for engaging with the locals to lift the blockade. “Vehicles carrying COVID-19 testing kits, reagents and other life-saving drugs had been stranded in Assam, forcing our government to cap sample testing based on the available stock,” he said.
