A 12-hour bandh was called in Dhemaji by the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), a Mising student organisation, and several other organisations on Wednesday, in response to the alleged firing by people from Arunachal Pradesh that injured 11 villagers from Assam. The bandh, which was observed from 6 am to 6 pm, affected normal life and road communication between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The TMPK strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a brutal firing by miscreants from Hime Basti in Lower Siang, Arunachal Pradesh, on 11 innocent villagers of Badati under the Gogamukh circle of Dhemaji district. The organisation demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and their handover to Assam Police, as well as swift and impartial action to maintain law and order and resolve the boundary dispute between the two states.
The incident reportedly took place on August 10 at Mingmang Badati, where tensions escalated following a dispute over alleged occupation of land claimed by Assam by people from Arunachal Pradesh. The 11 people who sustained bullet injuries are undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh.
Assam minister Ranoj Pegu stated that Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had assured him of a proper and impartial investigation into the firing incident, and that those found guilty would be dealt with in accordance with the law. Pegu also mentioned that the Assam Cabinet had reconstituted the regional committees to resume Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border discussions through the Joint Regional Committees.
The Namsai Declaration, signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, marked a step towards resolving the decades-old boundary dispute between the two states. The agreement initially sought to address disputes involving 123 villages along the interstate boundary, which was later reduced to 86 villages following negotiations and joint verification.
The organisations have warned of an indefinite road blockade if their demands are not met, and Pegu appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony in the border areas and refrain from actions that could affect relations between the people of the two neighbouring states.
