A mob uprooted saplings and dismantled wooden structures meant to protect newly planted red sandalwood in Lapangap village, located on a disputed border between Assam and Meghalaya, on Wednesday. This action heightened tensions as villagers from Assam clashed with those from Meghalaya after a camp in West Karbi Anglong district was reportedly set on fire. To disperse the crowd, Assam Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets.
The plantation initiative was organized by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) of Assam. Police presence was reinforced in the area amid ongoing tensions. The hill where the incident occurred is claimed by both communities, leading to conflicts over the land.
Since the saplings were planted recently, opposition emerged from some residents from Meghalaya, described by officials as miscreants. Approximately 400 individuals from Lapangap and neighboring villages, supported by local social organizations, destroyed the saplings and burned wooden protections, asserting that this constituted an encroachment by Assam.
West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Kumar Singh confirmed police forces were dispatched to restore order. He noted that the plantation had been carried out without proper notice to the district administrations and emphasized that they had restrained local residents from going to the site in anticipation of a peace meeting that ultimately failed when no one attended.
Conversely, West Karbi Anglong District Commissioner Saranga Pani Sarma accused Meghalaya villagers of igniting a relief camp in Assam, exacerbating the situation. In response, police attempted to control the escalating clash but had to resort to using tear gas and rubber bullets as the crowd remained unruly.
To address the violence, Sarma, along with police officials, visited the scene and engaged in discussions with representatives from West Jaintia Hills. KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang asserted that the sandalwood plantation was well within Assam’s jurisdiction, approximately 1.5 km from the border, and expressed a commitment to resolving the issue through discussions with the Meghalaya government.
In light of the unrest, police forces and three border magistrates were deployed for improved coordination with the Assam government. Singh announced plans for a peace meeting on Thursday aimed at finding a resolution. He emphasized the necessity of village-level discussions, encouraging headmen and councils from both sides to collaborate on solutions to prevent future conflicts.
Previous dialogues had determined that the status quo should remain until a resolution is reached between the two state governments over their contentious border disputes. According to Singh, while Lapangap village generally falls under Meghalaya, the contested hill where the plantation occurred is claimed by both communities.
A leader from the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) expressed strong support for the residents of Lapangap, arguing that encroachment by people from Karbi Anglong necessitated their actions against the plantation. KSU general secretary Neilkee Mukhim accused Karbi residents of violating a prior agreement concerning land use.
The longstanding border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya encompasses 12 areas along their 884.9-km inter-state boundary. In March 2022, the two states reached an agreement under the oversight of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resolve disputes in six areas. The first phase of this settlement allocated 36.79 square kilometers of contested land between the states, with Assam receiving 18.46 square kilometers and Meghalaya 18.33 square kilometers. Discussions regarding the remaining six areas, which present more intricate issues, are currently underway.
Meghalaya was established as a separate state from Assam in 1972.
Original Source: https://news.abplive.com/cities/assam-meghalaya-border-sees-fresh-tensions-as-plantation-drive-leads-to-clash-arrests-1783052
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Publish Date: 2025-06-25 22:58:00
