'Happy to join probe but...': Himanta Sarma raises a question on Mizoram FIR
The chief minister, along with six top Assam officials, have been booked on charges of attempt to murder and assault in connection with border clashes earlier this week in which seven people were killed. The clashes took place on the outskirts of Vairengte town in Mizoram's Kolasib district.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, against whom the Mizoram Police registered an FIR, on Saturday said he will be very happy to join investigation. But at the same time, he also questioned the motive behind not handing over the case to a neutral agency.
The case against Sarma is in connection with border clashes earlier this week in which seven people were killed.
"Will be very happy to join in any investigation. But why the case is not being handed over to a neutral agency, especially when the place of occurrence is well within the constitutional territory of Assam? Have already conveyed this to @ZoramthangaCM ji," Sarma said on Twitter.
The chief minister, along with six top Assam officials, have been booked on charges of attempt to murder and assault. The clashes took place on the outskirts of Vairengte town in Mizoram's Kolasib district.
The senior Assam Police officers named in the FIR include Inspector General of Police (IGP) Anurag Aggarwal, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Cachar Devojyoti Mukherjee, Cachar Superintendent of Police Cahndrakant Nimbalkar, and officer in-charge of Dholai police station, Sahab Uddin, according to Mizoram Inspector General of Police (Headquarter) John Neihlaia.
Sarma, four police officers and two other administrative officials have been summoned for questioning on Sunday, he added.
The FIR was filed for allegedly entering Mizoram’s Vairengte district and violating Covid protocols and under the Mizoram Containment and Prevention of Covid-19 Act 2020 along with the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga, meanwhile, condemned Assam’s decision to ask its citizens to not travel to the neighbouring state. “Public notice to all. Northeast India will always be one,” chief minister Zoramthanga tweeted.
The Assam government has issued a travel advisory, asking its residents not to travel to Mizoram and those staying there to exercise utmost caution.
