Normalcy is gradually returning to Hime village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Siang district, where a clash broke out on August 10 following an alleged attack by a group of people from neighbouring Bodoti village in Assam.
The situation has improved after police forces from both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh were deployed at Pompek, near Hime village, to prevent further incidents and maintain peace in the area.
Lower Siang Superintendent of Police Bomken Basar said the situation was currently calm, although precautionary measures remained in place.
“At present, as a precautionary measure, neither the people of Hime are going towards Bodoti, nor are the people of Bodoti coming to Hime. Assam Police are also taking precautions by not allowing people from Hime to go towards Assam,” Basar said.
The dispute between the two villages reportedly began over grazing land located within Hime village. However, discussions between the villagers to resolve the issue are yet to begin.
“The villagers are yet to start a dialogue on this issue,” the SP said.
Meanwhile, tension was reported on Saturday after an Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Service (APST) bus travelling between Itanagar and Kangku was vandalised by a group of miscreants at Gerakamukh, near Pasoni Camp in Assam’s Dhemaji district.
The bus had left Itanagar in the morning and dropped passengers at Kangku before beginning its return journey. It was intercepted by the group at Gerakamukh, where the vehicle was vandalised.
According to police, the miscreants also reportedly attempted to set the bus on fire. However, the situation was brought under control after the driver, Deepak Biswas, intervened.
“Driver Biswas warned the miscreants that the bus was equipped with CCTV surveillance facilities, and that all those involved would subsequently be identified. This forced them to stop the attack and save the bus,” SP Basar said.
According to the driver, the bus was allegedly intercepted and vandalised because it was carrying food items and passengers into Arunachal Pradesh, Basar added.
Following the incident, the bus was taken into custody by Assam Police. It was later released after intervention by the Lower Siang Police and the district administration.
While the situation in Hime village is reported to be improving, police and civil authorities from both states continue to maintain precautionary measures in the sensitive border area.
