Assam–Meghalaya border row: Peace meet held at Khanduli, paddy harvesting resumes

Guwahati, Oct 21: In a bid to restore calm along the Assam–Meghalaya border, officials from both states convened a peace meeting at the Khanduli Border Outpost (BOP) on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by West Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner SP Sarma and West Jaintia Hills Border Magistrate GH Passah, and included senior police officials, local leaders, and peace committee members from both sides.

Officials agreed to permit immediate paddy harvesting in Tahpat and Lapangap, acknowledging the urgency of the agricultural season.

Sarma noted that both village headmen had assured there would be no further disturbances during the harvest and urged residents to exercise restraint.

He also appealed to communities on both sides not to politicise the issue, stressing that peace and cooperation were essential to restoring normalcy.

The Deputy Commissioner added that the West Jaintia Hills administration had pledged full cooperation in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for Timung’s killing on October 9.

Legal proceedings would follow the Indian Penal Code and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Sarma commended the efforts of local peace committees and community leaders in preventing further escalation, emphasising that maintaining law and order remained paramount while ensuring that agricultural activities proceed without delay.

The meeting concluded with a joint resolution, reaffirming the commitment of both administrations to preserve peace, ensure accountability, and prevent recurrence of violence along the inter-state border.

The meeting follows a recent clash between villagers from both states at Lapangap, which left a resident of Tahpat in West Karbi Anglong dead.

The clash occurred after disputes arose over paddy harvesting in the disputed zone, just days after the Inter-State Border Peace Committee had resolved to suspend agricultural activities there.

The incident claimed the life of the 45-year-old Oriwel Timung, heightening tensions between Lapangap in West Jaintia Hills and Tahpat in West Karbi Anglong.