M’laya ramps up security at Lapangap amid border tensions with Assam

Meghalaya has further strengthened its police deployment at Lapangap village amid rising tension along the inter-state border with Assam, an official said.
“We have 30 police personnel—15 from the 1st MLP Battalion and 15 from the 3rd MLP Battalion to maintain peace and security at Lapangap village,” State Tourism Minister, Paul Lyngdoh said.
The fresh deployment of police personnel in the area comes after appeals for the immediate and full deployment of SF-10 commandos to ensure peace and security in and around Lapangap village.
Stating that the situation in Lapangap village has largely come under control due to the government’s prompt response, Lyngdoh said, “That initial sense of insecurity has, to a large extent, been brought under control. Of course, some fear still exists, but the increased police presence. But we are managing the situation well and hopeful that the issue will be resolved once discussions are held at the Regional Committee level.”
Asked whether Meghalaya government propose to set up permanent police camp in Lapangap, Lyngdoh, who is also the spokesperson of MDA government said, “As of now, both Meghalaya and Assam have temporary camps at the site.
Once the boundary issue of that particular sector is resolved at the Regional Committee level, we can move towards what you just mentioned.”
On measures to prevent further escalation along the inter-state border with Assam in view of the ongoing border talks between the two state governments, Lyngdoh said, “We have tried to minimise conflict on the ground, and to a large extent, we have succeeded in maintaining peace.”
“By August 15, we will formally sign an additional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), whereby five more villages will be transferred to Meghalaya as part of the Regional Committee’s recommendations, followed by talks at the Chief Ministers’ level,” he said.
Voicing hope that the long-pending boundary dispute with Assam would be fully resolved before the end of the current government’s tenure, Lyngdoh said, “We would like to ensure that before the end of this government’s term, we are able to finally resolve the boundary dispute with Assam.”
Assam and Meghalaya have a long-standing dispute in 12 areas along the 885 km-long inter-state border.
In March 2022, Assam Chief Minister Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart, Conrad Sangma signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) resolving their border dispute in six of the 12 areas of difference in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In the first phase, six areas were resolved and a MoU signed to put at rest the differences in these areas. The six areas were Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacheera.
Both Assam and Meghalaya adopted a give and take policy under which Meghalaya took control of 18.28 square km and Assam 18.51 km out of the total disputed area of 36.79 square km in these six areas.
Talks would be held later this year over the six remaining areas of differences between the two sides, which also include some of these contested areas like Block II and II.