Mizoram says case filed against Assam Police over ‘theft’ of construction materials

Aizawl, Aug. 22 (PTI): The Mizoram government said on Sunday that it has filed a case against personnel of the Assam Police for allegedly “stealing” construction materials from a project site near the border between the two Northeastern states.

Personnel of the Assam Police entered Mizoram territory at Zophai near Bairabi town in Kolasib district and allegedly stole some construction materials, including iron rods, from a bridge construction site, Kolasib deputy commissioner H Lalthlangliana told PTI.

The incident happened on Friday when work was underway to construct a bridge to connect the main road with the paddy field belonging to Mizoram’s first Chief Minister C Chhunga, he said.

The area shares border with Assam’s Hailakandi district.

The bridge construction was a government project, the deputy commissioner said.

“A police case over theft of construction materials was filed against them (Assam Police) at Bairabi police station in connection with the incident,” he said.

Lalthlangliana also wrote to his Hailakandi deputy commissioner on Saturday over the incident, urging him to take necessary action.

In his letter, Lalthlangliana said the incident or bridge construction should not be linked to the boundary issue as it was undertaken by the government just to connect an existing road within Mizoram’s territory.

“However, government servant committing an act that can be interpreted as theft towards government property is very disappointing and considered very serious, ” the letter said.

Bairabi’s Zophai area is one of the flashpoints of border dispute between Mizoram and Assam.

Violence broke out in March 2018 when functionaries of Mizoram’s apex student body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) attempted to construct a wooden resting shed in the area.

More than 60 people, including seven journalists from Mizoram, were injured as the Assam Police allegedly baton-charged and opened fire to disperse the crowd.

Mizoram’s three districts — Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit — share 164.6 km boundary with Assam’s Hailakandi, Cachar and Karimganj districts.