Assam Police allows goods-laden trucks to enter Meghalaya amid border dispute

Jorabat (Meghalaya) [India], November 25 (ANI): Assam Police on Friday allowed the goods-laden trucks to enter Meghalaya, for the first time after tensions rose between the two states following the firing incident along the border on Tuesday, according to an official.
However, only vehicles with Meghalaya’s registration were allowed entry into the state.
According to Mustafa Ahmed, Vice president of All India Road Transport Workers Federation, Assam Unit, the police have still restricted entry of other vehicles except for Meghalaya registration vehicles to the neighbouring state.
Following the violence along the Assam-Meghalaya border where six persons including five from Meghalaya and one Assam Forest Guard were killed in a firing incident at the Mukroh area on November 22, Assam police stopped all vehicular movement (both trucks and passenger vehicles) except Meghalaya registration vehicles to enter into Meghalaya at all entry points.
Earlier, tension gripped Meghalaya’s capital Shillong too after miscreants torched a traffic booth on Thursday evening and attacked three police vehicles, including a city bus.
The incident took place during a candlelight vigil organised by some groups to protest against the violence on the Assam-Meghalaya border on November 22. Six persons, including five from Meghalaya and personnel of the Assam Forest Guard, were killed in the firing incident at the Mukroh area of the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya.
Speaking to ANI over the phone, S. Nongtnger, SP of East Khasi Hills, Shillong, said three police vehicles, including a city bus and a gypsy, were damaged in the incident.
“The miscreants torched a traffic booth in the city and hurled petrol bombs at police personnel,” the SP said.
Earlier, on Wednesday, both Assam and Meghalaya governments demanded a probe by a central agency into the incident.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said a central agency should investigate the firing incident.
“I have also held discussions with the Assam chief minister about the incident. We demand that a central agency investigate the matter. The NIA or CBI should inquire into the incident. The Assam government also agreed to this and said they will cooperate with the probe, should it be ordered by the central government,” Sangma said.
Assam minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, too, said on Wednesday, “The Assam government has requested the central government for a CBI probe into the firing incident in the Mukroh area, along the Assam-Meghalaya border.”
On Tuesday, six people were killed and several others injured during an alleged clash between villagers and a security contingent comprising the police and forest guards from Assam.
The alleged clash took place in the area bordering the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam and Mukroh village in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills. Among those killed was a forest guard from Assam. (ANI)