Eleven people from Assam were injured, three of them critically, after unidentified armed persons allegedly opened fire near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Dhemaji district on Monday morning, police said. The incident took place in the Mingmang Badati area under Gogamukh Revenue Circle amid allegations of land encroachment along the inter-state boundary. According to an injured villager, around 18 local residents were working in the area when a group of armed men wearing uniforms approached them following a confrontation over land. The men allegedly opened fire during the confrontation. “A group of armed men in uniform came towards us and started saying that they will take their land anyhow. Before we could say anything, they started firing,” the villager alleged. He said eight or nine people managed to escape from the spot without suffering injuries. The injured have been identified as Durgeshwar Patir, Rohit Doley, Nagaraj Doley, Bigneshwar Patir, Pame Pegu, Sanjay Tayung, Utpal Doley and Jan Doley. Police said the identities of the remaining injured persons were yet to be confirmed.
All 11 injured persons were initially taken to Gogamukh Rural Hospital for treatment. Seven of them, including three who were in critical condition, were later shifted to Dhemaji Civil Hospital. They were subsequently referred to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh for specialised medical treatment. Local residents of Mingmang Badati alleged that people from the Arunachal Pradesh side had repeatedly attempted to encroach on land they claimed was within Assam.“From their side, not only common people but senior police officers also came to encroach our land and the officers in uniform fired on us,” another injured person alleged. Police, however, said the allegations had not yet been verified and that an investigation was underway to establish what happened. “We are investigating. We’ll also have a talk with officials of Arunachal Pradesh Police,” an investigating officer told reporters on Monday afternoon. A large police contingent has been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure to prevent any further escalation and maintain peace along the border. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was aware of the incident and had directed senior officials, including the Director General of Police and the Chief Secretary, to examine the matter and coordinate with their counterparts in Arunachal Pradesh.
“I have instructed the DGP, Chief Secretary and other officials to look into it and they’ll also talk to their counterparts in Arunachal Pradesh,” Sarma said. The chief minister, however, described the incident as a local land dispute rather than a conflict between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He said the overall situation remained peaceful. The incident comes against the backdrop of longstanding boundary issues between the two northeastern states. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share a border of more than 800 km, with several stretches continuing to remain disputed. The two states have witnessed sporadic localised clashes in the past, particularly over allegations of land encroachment. Authorities from both sides have continued efforts to address such disputes through dialogue and administrative mechanisms. Police and civil administration officials are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Monday’s firing, including the identity of those allegedly involved and the circumstances that led to the confrontation.