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Assam, Meghalaya officials to meet today

By Staff reporter

GUWAHATI, May 15 � Chief Secretaries of both Assam and Meghalaya will meet tomorrow in a bid to diffuse the tension in Lampi area even as the death toll in yesterday�s group clash has gone up to four. Twelve persons, including four policemen, sustained injuries during the incident.

The Chief Secretaries would also decide on a neutral inquiry into the incident, as demanded by the Meghalaya Government.

Meanwhile, Assam Government has already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who visited the disputed area along with Revenue Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman, told The Assam Tribune over phone that they had a meeting with Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and a few other representatives of the Meghalaya Government and both the sides have been asked to maintain restrain.

�The situation in Lampi is under control and all the four bodies have been identified. Couple of them have been handed over to Meghalaya side,� the Government spokesperson said, adding that the two bodies which are in Assam government�s possession are bullet-ridden.

He also stated that the issues related with the post-mortem of the dead would be taken care of with mutual consent. Assam Police personnel reportedly had opened fire after a clash broke out between two communities at a disputed village along the Assam-Meghalaya border.�The incident took place on Friday noon at the disputed Lampi area, bordering Assam�s Kamrup district and Meghalaya�s West Khasi Hills district.

Sarma went on to inform that the security arrangements have also been reviewed and reinforcement done.

Asked, whether the exact reason behind the clash has been ascertained, Sarma said that there are two different versions emerging from both sides and an impartial inquiry is what we are banking on to unearth the exact cause.

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