Mizoram jawans fight highway robbers

Aizawl, Oct 15: The Mizo Hindi Zirlai Pawl (MHZP) today recommended two Mizo jawans of the first Assam Regiment for state and national level bravery awards for risking their lives and fighting highway robbers.

Police said here today that highway robbers had stopped two private vehicles on October 13 at Sonai Road near Dholai in Assam and tried to rob the passengers.

However, Anthony Lalmalsawma (25) of Bawngkawn and Lalpianmawia (26) of Zemabawk attacked the miscreants and were wounded in the ensuing fight.

The two jawans were now being treated at the Silchar Medical College for the injuries they had sustained in the encounter.

Mizoram Home Minister Tawnluia announced Rs 10,000 to Lalmalsawma and Rs 5,000 to Lalpianmawia as a reward for their bravery.

The jawans were on leave for their matriculation examinations at the Universal Hindi Communications Centre here and were on their way back to their post at Srinagar, the MHZP said.

The MHZP, while hailing the heroic act of the jawans, strongly condemned the robbery and demanded the Assam government to nab the culprits.

They also urged both the Mizoram and Assam governments to undertake more concerted efforts to ensure the safety of passengers travelling on the road.

Besides, they appealed to the residents of Silchar and the adjoining villages to resist the highway robbers.

Meanwhile, police advised all passenger vehicles plying on Sonai Road to inform the police and receive necessary escort for travelling at night.

The Vairengte police officer-in-charge said all vehicles travelling at night were given escort up to Dholai, adding that he did not know if their Assam counterparts did the same from Dholai to Silchar.

''This road is infested with highway robbers which the Mizoram police believes to be local miscreants from the villages along the highway,'' he added.

UNI