NHRC takes cognisance of Assam-Meghalaya border violence

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) | (File image: PTI)

The NHRC has taken congnisance of the violence in the disputed area on the Assam-Meghalaya border that claimed six lives earlier this month, the rights body said on Tuesday.

It said the incident was an outcome of the long-pending border dispute between the two states and could have been averted had the controversy been settled earlier.

The Commission observed that whatever be the dispute police has to use restraint in such a situation.

The National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of a memorandum by the chief minister of Meghalaya (Conrad K Sangma) that six persons, including one Assam forest official, had died in firing by the Assam Police and Assam Forest Guards at Mukroh village in West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya on 22nd November, 2022,” NHRC said in a statement.

There is a need to examine the standard operating procedure, if any, in vogue about firing by armed forces/police in disputed areas between states, it added.

The NHRC asked the union home secretary and Assam chief secretary to suggest measures to prevent such incidents in disputed areas and said their response should be given within two weeks.

Violence had erupted in Mukroh village after a truck allegedly laden with illegally felled timber and enroute to Meghalaya was stopped by police and forest personnel of West Karbi Anlong district of Assam on November 22 morning, leading to the death of its forest personnel and five civilians from Meghalaya.