HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 25: A plantation drive on a disputed stretch of the Assam-Meghalaya border escalated into a violent confrontation on Wednesday, leading to the injury of one person and heightened tensions between residents of the two neighbouring states.
The incident occurred near Lapangap village, which lies in a contested area between Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district and Assam’s West Karbi Anglong.
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According to an official statement, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) of Assam had carried out a sapling plantation drive in the area earlier this week.
However, around 10–11 am on Wednesday, a crowd of approximately 400 people from Lapangap and surrounding villages, supported by members of several Meghalaya-based social organisations, arrived at the plantation site and began uprooting saplings and dismantling wooden protective structures.
They claimed that Assam authorities were attempting to encroach into Meghalaya territory, a charge strongly contested by local officials in Assam.
Tensions quickly escalated into a physical confrontation when local residents from Assam objected to the uprooting of saplings.
During the clash, one local resident, Chandra Terang of Tapat, sustained a head injury, allegedly after being hit by a stone thrown from the Meghalaya side.
Assam Police had to resort to aerial firing and tear gas shelling to disperse the crowd and restore order. Meghalaya Police also reached the site soon after to assist in calming tensions.
West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhinav Kumar Singh told PTI that the plantation drive had taken place without prior notice to Meghalaya’s district administration.
He added that the administration had been aware of the drive for a week and had advised local residents to refrain from escalating matters, as a peace meeting had been scheduled for the day.
However, the meeting at Tahpat village failed to take place due to low participation.
Singh confirmed that police personnel and three border magistrates have been deployed at the site for coordination with Assam officials, and that the situation is now under control. Meetings have been held at the DC and SP levels, and officials are planning village-level peace dialogues involving headmen and local councils from both states.
On the Assam side, sources from Karbi Anglong noted that the plantation was conducted within territory they believe to fall under KAAC jurisdiction.
The hill in question, where the drive occurred, is claimed by residents of both states, adding to the complexity of the dispute.
Members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), who were present at the site, alleged that the KAAC violated a prior agreement by planting saplings in the area.
KSU general secretary Neilkee Mukhim confirmed the group’s support for the Lapangap residents, stating, “We dismantled all structures and uprooted the saplings. Assam Police fired tear gas shells, but we will continue to defend our land.”
The disputed area is part of the second phase of ongoing border settlement talks between Assam and Meghalaya.
The two states, which share an 884.9 km-long border, have 12 areas of dispute.
In March 2022, both governments signed a pact resolving six areas during the first phase, dividing 36.79 sq km of land nearly equally.
However, the remaining six areas—where the current conflict zone falls—are still under negotiation.
In light of Wednesday’s events, officials from both states have stressed the need to maintain status quo until a permanent solution is reached through ongoing dialogue.
A fresh peace meeting is scheduled for Thursday, with hopes that local leaders from both sides can come to a mutual understanding to avoid any recurrence of such incidents.
Police presence has been reinforced, and both administrations have called for calm among residents. (With inputs from PTI)
