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GUWAHATI, AUGUST 19: Tension erupted on Monday in Maikhuli village, Ri-Bhoi district near the Assam-Meghalaya border after the local villagers removed electric poles installed by the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) allegedly inside Meghalaya’s territory without permission.
The matter escalated further when an Assam group came to the location and clashed with the villagers. The altercations started as an argument but quickly escalated into a physical altercation involving residents of both states. Witnesses affirmed that various women were involved in the scuffle, with others being allegedly attacked and their clothing torn in the process.
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It was the villagers in Maikhuli who informed that they had dismantled the poles in the morning, claiming the land belonged to Meghalaya. The villagers went home following the dismantling of the poles, but tensions resumed when Assam residents approached them at the site in question.
When violence erupted, both Meghalaya and Assam district authorities immediately rushed to the location and were able to contain the situation before it escalated further.
In reaction, leaders from both sides consented to establishing a joint peace committee. The committee will help alleviate tensions, foster peaceful coexistence of bordering communities, and ensure that such occurrences are not repeated.
