BRTF canteen burnt down after row with locals

Aizawl, Aug 1 (UNI) Unknown miscreants burnt down a canteen of Border Road Task Force(BRTF) at Serchhip, about 112 km from here, after a row broke out between the BRTF and some locals last night, Serchhip police said here today.

The canteen was completely burnt down while an adjacent office was partly damaged, along with some office files and computers, sources said.

BRTF officials have estimated the total loss due to the fire at Rs 10 lakh. No casualties have, however, been reported, Serchhip SP Lalbiakzama told UNI.

He also said a case had been registered in the Serchhip Police Station and armed policemen would be deployed at the camp for the time being.

Sources in Serchhip said the altercation between the BRTF and the local people started when ''drunken'' BRTF men allegedly threw empty liquor bottles at some nearby civilian area, hitting one Sangzuala's house.

Since, this was allegedly not the first time that BRTF men had ''indulged in such acts'', the anger of the civilians became uncontrollable and they gathered in front of the BRTF camp at around 2200 hrs last night.

When the police and local leaders enquired on the matter, no one took responsibility and the crowd dispersed at their request.

''When we went inside the camp, there were two drunken BRTF men.

Ee suggested that we take them into our custody and assure the enraged locals that we have arrested the culprits. We wanted to avoid further altercation but the BRTF officials refused to oblige.

Maybe if the situation had turned out as planned the arson could have been avoided, the SP explained.

At around midnight, the canteen caught fire. The fire was doused before causing any more damage, sources from Serchhip told UNI.

However, the BRTF officials here chose to remain silent over the incident. Earlier in 2003, there had also been a conflict between the locals and the BRTF after two Mizo youths alleged that they have been beaten up within their camp.

Police here informed that there has been no arrests made in this connection. The SP also confirmed that the locals and the BRTF have been in continuous conflict since the past many years.

The BRTF officials and the police today met to seek a peaceful solution to this prolonged conflict. Earlier in 2003, there had also been an 'incident' between the locals and the BRTF after two Mizo youths were allegedly beaten up inside the BRTF camp.

UNI