Assam, Meghalaya To Urge CBI Probe Into 2022 Mukroh Violence, Finalising Boundary Lines In 6 Disputed Areas

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma announced that their governments jointly decided to request the CBI to take over the probe into the 2022 Mukroh violence.

In a significant development regarding the 2022 Mukroh violence along the disputed interstate boundary, the governments of Assam and Meghalaya have jointly decided to request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation. The announcement came during a joint media briefing by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, following their discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing interstate boundary dispute.

"As a confidence-building measure, we have decided to wind up our respective judicial commissions probing the Mukroh incident. Instead, both state governments will now urge the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the matter," Chief Minister Sarma said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

He further specified that the request to the CBI would be to register the case in a neutral location like Delhi, Kolkata, or any other suitable place, emphasising the need for an impartial inquiry.

Chief Minister Sangma supported this stance, noting that the judicial commissions of both states had made limited progress due to witnesses from each side being reluctant to depose before the commission of the other state. Sangma emphasised the importance of an unbiased inquiry and expressed confidence in the CBI's ability to provide just that, PTI reported.

The tragic Mukroh incident occurred on November 22, 2022, when six individuals, including five residents of Meghalaya and an Assam forest guard, lost their lives in a firing incident along a disputed section of the Assam-Meghalaya interstate boundary.

Addressing another border clash that took place on September 26, 2023, involving villagers from West Karbi Anglong in Assam and West Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, Chief Minister Sarma announced that both states had agreed to withdraw their police forces from the area. Instead, the area will be patrolled by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Additionally, the two Chief Ministers intend to visit the disputed area at the end of September to assess the situation firsthand, as per PTI's report.

One person was injured in the September 26 clash when villagers from Lapangap in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district and Tapat in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district engaged in a skirmish while working in their fields.

Meghalaya, Assam 'On The Verge' Of Finalising Actual Boundary Lines In 6 Remaining Disputed Areas

Meghalaya CM Sarma expressed his commitment to resolving the remaining boundary disputes between the two states, particularly focusing on Langpi, Borduar, and Desh Doomreah, which offer greater flexibility for resolution. The modalities for resolving these issues will be deliberated by regional committees, with final decisions made at the chief ministerial level.

Sangma echoed his Assam counterpart's sentiments and emphasised that the talks had been conducted in a cordial manner, with border demarcation progressing smoothly. Officials from the Survey of India were present at the meeting, where they were requested to conclude the survey in the six disputed areas by December 31 of this year.

Notably, both chief ministers had previously met on May 24, 2023, and had resolved to continue discussions to settle the disputes in the remaining six disputed locations. These disputes originated from the creation of Meghalaya as a separate state from Assam in 1972, leading to challenges under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister, since taking office in May 2021, has made it a priority to resolve longstanding boundary disputes with neighboring states. This led to the establishment of regional committees in August 2021, tasked with addressing these issues in a phased manner, the report mentioned. The committees' recommendations were submitted and later endorsed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on March 29, 2022, to resolve disputes in six of the 12 areas in contention.

Under the agreement, a disputed area of 36.79 square kilometers was addressed in the first phase, with Assam gaining full control over 18.51 square kilometers and Meghalaya securing 18.28 square kilometers of land.