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Guwahati, Oct 21 (IANS) Week-long tension along the Assam-Meghalaya border eased on Tuesday when Panar villagers of Lapangup in Meghalaya and Karbi villagers of Tahpat in Assam signed a peace accord, paving the way for farmers to resume paddy harvesting without fear of any disruption. The officers provided this information.
The development came after an important coordination meeting at the Assam border post in Khanduli, where officials from West Jaintia Hills and West Karbi Anglong districts held joint discussions with community representatives.
The talks are the first breakthrough since the violent clash on October 8, in which Orivel Timung, a man from Tahpat village, was killed and tensions escalated in the area. During the meeting, both the communities agreed to maintain peace and fully cooperate with the law enforcement agencies.
Assam and Meghalaya officials assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure a fair investigation into Timung’s death, while also protecting the livelihood of farmers during the crucial harvest season.
The meeting was attended by West Jaintia Hills Border Magistrate GH Pasah, West Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner SP Sarma, Superintendent of Police R. Barua and senior officials including traditional heads of both the parties were present.
The leaders jointly appealed to the villagers to exercise restraint, avoid provocation and work together to maintain harmony on the sensitive border. The agreement to allow harvesting to resume immediately was seen as important to prevent crop losses, which could further escalate tensions.
Officials stressed that grassroots cooperation is essential to prevent any recurrence of violence.
A senior official who attended the meeting said, “This is an important step towards restoring trust between the two communities. Our priority is to ensure that people can live and work in peace.”
Both administrations are also committed to regular coordination and rapid response mechanisms to deal with any future incidents at the border. The agreement has been widely welcomed by villagers, who have expressed relief that the agreement will allow them to focus on their farms without any fear.
–IANS
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