AGARTALA, April 22 - Amid escalating tension at Kanpui village under Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura district bordering Mizoram following a clash between villagers and Indian Reserve (IR) personnel of Mizoram and the subsequent arrest of three youths, different civil society organisations, including the Jampui Hills Mizo Convention, Young Mizo Association and civil and police administrations of both Tripura and Mizoram have appealed to the people of all communities to maintain peace and tranquillity on the Jampui Hills.
On April 18, the clash between the villagers of Kawnpui and Mizoram IR personnel broke out when the latter allegedly misbehaved with some indigenous women. After the clash, an FIR was lodged at the Vangmun Police Station and the police subsequently arrested three local youths identified as Santilal Chakma (31), Bimal Chakma (19) and Mohanlal Chakma (28). But when the three arrested were taken to a local hospital for medical checkup, Santilal managed to escape from the spot. Later, the two others were produced in a court, where the Mizoram Police appealed for their transit remand. But the court kept them in police custody in Tripura.
On Tuesday, in a press statement, the Jampui Hill Mizo called for communal harmony and peace among the tribes and termed the events following the attack on two Mizoram State IR personnel by villagers of New Kawnpui (on the Tripura side of the border) on April 18 as unfortunate.
Apart from government officials of both Mizoram and Tripura who visited the village, leaders of civil society organisations from Mizoram and Tripura including the Young Mizo Association and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl visited Zomuantlang (on the Mizoram side of the border) on April 20. They held meetings with local community leaders and government authorities with the aim of de-escalating the tension and helping the administrations of both States to ensure that all people responsible for the attacks on the IR personnel are brought to book.
