A man from Assam’s Cachar district died in custody in Mizoram on Monday, escalating the tension between the two Northeastern states amid a border standoff.
Mizoram’s Kolasib district Superintendent of Police Vanlalfaka Ralte told PTI that Intazul Laskar (45), a well-known drug peddler, was apprehended on Sunday evening when he crossed the inter-state border to deliver a consignment and later died at a health facility.
According to reports, Ali was caught by volunteers of Young Mizo Association (YMA) when he tried to hand over the drug consignment to two locals in Mautui Zau forest area in Vairengte on Sunday afternoon.
He sustained injuries on both sides of his ankle joints as he jumped down from two gorges while trying to escape from the volunteers.
The deceased was identified as Intyaz Ali also known as Intazul Laskar is a resident of Lailapur in Assam’s Cachar district, police said.
Later, the YMA volunteers handed Ali over to personnel of Excise and Narcotics department, who booked him under section 21 (a) of Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 after the arrest.
Ali was admitted to a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Vairengte as he appeared to be generally weak, however, he died at 10:30 am on Monday.
The deceased relatives also alleged that he had gone missing from a forest area where he went to collect wood and a case was registered at the Dholai police station.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the tension with Mizoram as a person from the Cachar district died in custody in the neighbouring state.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, it said.
Meanwhile, Cachar district SP Bhanwar Lal Meena has written to his Kolasib counterpart asking him to investigate the case and follow all the NHRC guidelines applicable in the case of custodial death.
