Amid Assam-Mizoram border row, Union Home Secretary to meet chief secretaries of both states

New Delhi [India], July 27 (ANI): Amid high tensions at the Mizoram-Assam border, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla is set to hold a meeting with the chief secretaries of Assam and Mizoram as well as senior officers of the two states, sources said.

The meeting, sources said, is scheduled for Wednesday at North Block in the national capital.

Bhalla had accompanied Union Home Minister Amit Shah who was on a two-day visit to northeast India this weekend. Shah had held a meeting of all chief ministers of all states in the region.

On Monday, the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram peaked and a fierce gun battle between the forces of the two states resulted in the death of five Assam police personnel and one civilian. At least 50 were injured in the incident.

A total of six companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed at the site where the policemen died.

The CRPF DG said that Assam Police has retreated from the disputed area, however, Mizoram Police continues to stay at their temporary posts.

"Four additional companies of CRPF have been sent to the disputed area as neutral forces, two companies already present there. Senior officials are also present. The current situation is peaceful," CRPF Director General Kuldiep Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry told Parliament today that Assam is dealing with boundary disputes with four states, including Mizoram and inter-state border disputes can "only be resolved with the cooperation of state governments involved in the matter". It added that the Centre "just acts as a facilitator in such disputes".

"There are boundary disputes arising out of demarcation of boundaries and claims and counter-claims over territories have arisen between states," Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in a written reply.

As per information available with the government, Rai said, that there are boundary disputes arising out of the demarcation of boundaries and claims and counter-claims over territories between Haryana-Himachal Pradesh, UT of Ladakh-Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra-Karnataka, Assam-Arunachala Pradesh, Assam-Nagaland, Assam-Meghalaya and Assam-Mizoram.

He also said that these can be resolved with the cooperation of the state governments concerned. (ANI)