The Assam police on Monday withdrew an FIR against Mizoram MP K. Vanlalvena in connection with the July 26 border conflict, hours after instructions from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Dr. Sarma had taken to Twitter early on Monday morning asking the police to take back the case against the Rajya Sabha member for “ensuring peace along our borders”.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga reciprocated by instructing the State police to withdraw the FIR against all the “accused persons” from Assam held responsible for the border flare-up. Dr. Sarma was one of the accused named in the FIR at the Vairengte police station in Mizoram’s Kolasib district.
MP’s comment
Mr. Vanlalvena had, after the death of six Assam policemen and a civilian in firing on a disputed stretch of the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26, gone on record saying the Mizoram police should have “killed them all”.
“The case against the Mizoram MP has been abated,” Assam’s Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) G.P. Singh said.
Dr. Sarma said earlier the withdrawal of the FIR was in response to Mr. Zoramthanga’s desire to settle the border dispute amicably.
“However, cases against the other accused police officers will be pursued,” he tweeted while asserting “Assam always wants to keep the spirit of the North East alive”.
The Assam and Nagaland police had begun withdrawing from the disputed areas of the border following a memorandum of understanding signed on July 31. “This is one big step towards restoring peace on our borders,” he stated.