Nothing related to border dispute: Assam CM on firing incident

New Delhi, Nov 24: The firing incident that took place after a clash between villagers from Meghalaya and a contingent of the police and forest guards from Assam has nothing to do with the border dispute, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He told reporters that the incident has nothing to do with the border, the way it is reported in the national media. It was basically a clash between the villagers and the police regarding certain forest timbers, Sarma also said.

The matter was related to a clash relating to tigers and we have ordered a judicial inquiry and also referred the matter to the investigation by the CBI or NIA. Compensation has been announced and the person responsible has been suspended, he also added.

Meanwhile the Assam government announced Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the six deceased persons who died in the firing incident.

Six persons including one Assam forest official were killed in the firing in Mukroh in West Jaintia Hills on the border between the two states on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma said that the probe into the firing incident should be carried out by a central agency. I have discussed the incident with the Assam chief minister and we demanded that a central agency should probe the case, he said. He said that the Assam government was cooperating on the issue.