Assam- Mizoram Face-Off : Normal Life In Barak Valley Hit By 12-Hour Bandh Call, One More Assam Policeman Succumbs , Toll Now 7

Normal life in the three districts of Assam’s Barak Valley was completely affected on Wednesday due to a 12-hour bandh to protest against the border violence with Mizoram.

All business establishments remained closed and few vehicles plied on the roads of Mizoram-bordering Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts even as emergency services were exempted from the purview of the Barak Valley bandh that began at 5 am.

The bandh, called by Barak Democratic Front and supported by political outfits including opposition AIUDF and social organisations, was “total” and there was no report of any untoward incident from any district, another official said.

BDF Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Ray said that people have spontaneously extended their support to the bandh.

“We were compelled to call this bandh as our police personnel have died and there must be a permanent solution to the dispute as we do not want any more bloodshed,” he said.

Several social organisations in Hailakandi district blocked the roads leading to Mizoram and launched an indefinite “economic blockade” to prevent the movement of goods-carrying trucks to the neighbouring state.

Various organisations also held demonstrations in different parts of the valley protesting the killing of seven people and demanding a permanent solution to the dispute.

The chief secretaries and director generals of police of Assam and Mizoram will hold talks over the issue in New Delhi during the day under the aegis of the Union home ministry.

Hailakandi Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur has been posted as the new Cachar police chief following serious injuries to incumbent Vaibhav Chandrakant Nimbalkar in the bloody inter-state border clash.

Kaur will be replaced by Chirang police chief Gaurav Upadhaya, a notification issued by the Home and Political Department said.

Upadhaya will be replaced by Pranjit Bora, currently serving as the Guwahati Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic).

Nimbalkar was airlifted to Mumbai for better treatment, while three others were shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday.

The death toll in the clash increased to seven on the previous day as critically injured Shyamprasad Dusat of the 6th Assam Police Battalion succumbed to his abdominal bullet injury at Silchar Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday night.