Tensions along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border escalated on Wednesday after several student and community organisations launched an indefinite road blockade, disrupting key routes connecting Assam's Jagun with Namchik and Jairampur in Arunachal Pradesh. The protest began at around 5 am, with members of multiple organisations stopping vehicles and burning tyres on the roads. The blockade has effectively disrupted movement between the two neighbouring states, with the protesters vowing to continue their action until their demands are met.
The demonstration was jointly organised by the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), Mising Miri Krishak Sangram Samiti (MMK), Gorkha Students' Union and Chhatra Mukti Sangram Samiti.
The groups have opposed what they described as an alleged indiscriminate firing incident involving suspected miscreants from Arunachal Pradesh at Mingma Badati village in Gogamukh, located in Assam's Dhemaji district.
According to the protesting organisations, the incident has heightened concerns in the border region and requires immediate intervention from the authorities.
The organisations have called on the Arunachal Pradesh government to identify the people allegedly involved in the Gogamukh incident and take immediate action against them.
They have demanded that those accused be arrested without delay and handed over to the Assam Police so that legal proceedings can be initiated.
The protesters said accountability for the alleged firing incident is essential to address the concerns arising from the episode and prevent further tensions along the inter-state border.
The blockade began in the early hours of Wednesday, with protestors using burning tyres to stop traffic on important routes between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The affected connectivity includes roads linking Jagun in Assam with Namchik and Jairampur in Arunachal Pradesh, potentially impacting commuters and the movement of goods between the two states.
The participating organisations have made it clear that they do not intend to withdraw the blockade immediately. They have warned that the disruption will remain in place indefinitely unless the authorities respond to their demands.
The latest protest has once again brought attention to tensions along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, where incidents involving communities from the neighbouring states can quickly become a source of wider concern.
