National Desk, 31st May: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has officially taken over the investigation into the tragic killing of five Meghalaya residents and one Assam forest guard, an incident that occurred 18 months ago at the disputed border between the two states. The incident was precipitated by the interception of a truck allegedly carrying illegally felled timber by Assam’s forest guards.
The governments of Meghalaya and Assam had referred the case to the CBI in February and March, respectively. Following these referrals, the central probe agency re-registered two FIRs initially filed by the police forces of both states.
The incident, which took place on November 22, 2022, in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district, began when a truck was allegedly intercepted by a team from the Assam forest department. According to officials from Assam police, a mob from the Meghalaya side subsequently attacked the forest guards and Assam policemen, prompting them to open fire in an attempt to control the situation.
The violent clash resulted in the deaths of five residents of Meghalaya’s Mukroh village in West Jaintia district and one forest guard from Assam. This incident underscores the long-standing border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya, which involves 12 contentious stretches along their shared borders.
In a bid to address these disputes, Assam and Meghalaya signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in March 2022 in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. This agreement aims to resolve the disagreements in six of the 12 disputed areas.
The CBI’s involvement is expected to bring a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident, providing clarity and accountability for the tragic events of November 22, 2022.