Assam govt issues advisory, asks people to avoid travelling to Mizoram amid border row

The Assam government has issued an advisory asking local residents to refrain from travelling to Mizoram amid the ongoing inter-state border row that has claimed lives of six Assam Police personnel.

"Given the critical prevailing situation, the people of Assam are advised not to travel to Mizoram and the personal safety of people of Assam cannot be accepted," the advisory issued by the state's home department states.

It added that people of Assam staying in Mizoram due to work related compulsion, should exercise utmost caution.

"There have been several cases of violent skirmishes in the border area of Assam and Mizoram. The latest skirmish on July 26 led to indiscriminate firing on the police personnel as well as civilians...six policemen lost their lives and scores of policemen and civilians were seriously injured," the government said in a statement.

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"Even after this incident, certain Mizo Civil Society members, students and youth organisations are constantly issuing provocative statements against Assam and its people. It has been reliably learnt from video footage available with the Assam Police that many civilians are heavily armed with automatic weapons," the statement added.

This advisory will come into force with immediate effect, the government said.

Meanwhile, news agency PTI reported the situation along the Assam-Mizoram border was "calm and under control" on Thursday.

Central forces were deployed along the inter-state border at Lailapur, while state police personnel remained 100 metres inside their respective borders. A strict vigil is being maintained with people not allowed to move towards the border as it is at present a "conflict zone", an unnamed official was quoted as saying.

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