Northeast Mizoram may be declared disturbed

TOI Aizawl: The Mizoram government is contemplating to declare the north-eastern part of the state adjoining Manipur as a disturbed area.

This comes close on the heels of an ambush by suspected Hmar People's Convention-Democrats (HPC-D) militants on March 28 in which three persons were killed and six others sustained injuries.

A senior home department official told TOI that the meeting held under the chairmanship of home minister R Lalzirliana on Monday also discussed ways to declare the HPC-D as an unlawful outfit. The official said violent activities in the area, especially the ambush on the state assembly committee on government assurances team comprising three legislators, senior officials and a few policemen, has forced the government to take the matter seriously.

Police stations and outposts in the area would be strengthened with the deployment of more personnel armed with sophisticated weapons, the official said. He added that operation commanders posted at Sakawrdai, Saiphai, Khawlian and Suangpuilawn villages would be of the rank of assistant commandants or DSPs.

The state home department has also decided to establish a police post at Tinghmun near Zokhawthiang where last month's ambush took place. "It was proposed that the officers and personnel of other ranks of the state armed police would be imparted training at the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte on the Mizoram-Assam border," the official said.

Any legislator, before undertaking a journey to sensitive areas like the northeastern part of the state, should first inform chief minister Lal Thanhawla and the home minister, the meeting decided. Lalzirliana said the militants, who ambushed the government team, belonged to the HPC(D) faction led by H Zosangbera.