Policemen sent to Sinlung Hills to secure villagers

Aizawl: A large number of armed police personnel were sent to the northeastern part of Mizoram adjoining Manipur to assure the people of the area inhabited mainly by Hmar ethnic group that they should have confidence in the government, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana said here on Saturday.

Lalzirliana said that the people of the area, being intimidated by the militants of Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention-Democrats (HPC-D) required assurances from the government.

"The state police marched in the area to instill confidence in the minds of the people," he said.

The move came close on the heels of HPC-D insurgents sending extortion notes to the village leaders of the areas and also intimidated Young Mizo Association (YMA) branches to abolish their units.

Lalzirliana said that the border police outposts in the area would be strengthened and better fire power and two or three additional police outposts would be established in the area to meet the latest challenges of the Hmar militancy.

Meanwhile, majority of YMA branches inside the 'Demand Area' of the HPC-D submitted their assets to the central committee of the YMA as ordered by the HPC-D led by its new leader H Sangbera.

The YMA and local people in Mizoram-Assam border Vairengte town and surrounding areas, however, defied the threats of the HPC-D and urged the Hmar militant group to explain their moves in return.

PTI