Firing over land dispute injures 18 villagers on Assam-Arunachal border

New Delhi: A land dispute along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border turned violent on Monday in Dhemaji district, Assam. At least 18 villagers from Assam were injured, four of them critically. The firing allegedly took place after a confrontation between local villagers and unidentified men from the Arunachal Pradesh side.

The incident took place at Mingmang Basti in the Badati area, around 21km from Gogamukh Chariali. Mingmang Basti lies on the Assam side of the border, near Lower Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh. According to reports, an argument between villagers and a group from the Arunachal Pradesh side over alleged encroachment on Assam land escalated before shots were allegedly fired.

The injured were taken to the Gogamukh community health centre for treatment. The four critically injured were later shifted to Dibrugarh Medical College and Hospital, according to the reports.

Seven of the injured were identified as Durgeswar Patir, Rohit Doley, Nagraj Doley, Bigeswar Patir, Utpal Doley, Pema Pegu and Sanjay Tayung. The identity of another injured person was not immediately available.

According to the reports, several victims suffered bullet injuries. One injured villager said he was hit near his nose and lost consciousness, while another reported a gunshot wound to his thigh.

One of the victims also alleged that people connected to the Arunachal Pradesh administration were involved in the firing. He claimed that the son of the Lower Siang deputy commissioner and a police officer identified as Umang were among those who allegedly opened fire, but the claims have not been independently verified.

Police and administrative officials reached the area after the incident and began an investigation. Security personnel were also deployed to monitor the situation and prevent further confrontation in the border area.

The Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said senior officials from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh were in contact following the incident. He said the chief secretaries of the two states were discussing the situation, while their police chiefs were coordinating efforts to contain tensions.

Additional Assam police personnel were also sent to the area. The immediate focus remains on maintaining calm while officials establish the circumstances surrounding the firing.

The incident comes against the backdrop of a longstanding boundary dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The two states have held negotiations and pursued demarcation efforts over the years, but several stretches of their boundary, including in Dhemaji, remain sensitive.

The latest violence has raised fresh concerns among residents of Mingmang and nearby border settlements. Authorities are now investigating the incident while working to prevent the land dispute from triggering further clashes.