JOWAI: West Jaintia Hills Police have arrested three men in connection with the Meghalaya-Assam border clash that resulted in the death of a Karbi individual on October 9, in the Lapangap area.
The three men from the Lapangap and Borato regions were apprehended by the district Police on charges of involvement in the killing of a Karbi villager during the violence that erupted over contested land ownership.
Superintendent of Police (SP), West Jaintia Hills, Jagpal Singh Dhanua, confirmed the arrests, stating the men were taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation registered under the Nartiang Police Station.
The arrested individuals, all residents of West Jaintia Hills, have been identified asPyrchang Dkhar (aka Loi), 25, of Lapangap village, Everyshine Tyngkan, 25, of Saba and Deibormi Bhoi Lamare, 27, of Barato.
General Secretary of the Jaintia Srudents’ Union (JSU) Neil Mukhim, along with leaders from the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) today morning met the district jail superintendent to inquire about the arrested individuals and to protest against Assam Police’s attempt to take the trio into their custody.
He informed that the district session court had earlier today turned down the request of the Assam Police, adding that the trip will continue to remain in the state police’s custody.
The student bodies have criticised Meghalaya government’s inaction, warning against scapegoating and politicising the issue.
Background on the Lapangap Volatility
The arrests mark a major step in the judicial follow-up to the October 9 incident, which once again brought the volatility of the unresolved Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute to the forefront.
The deadly confrontation erupted after villagers from Lapangap, primarily belonging to the Pnar community, attempted to harvest their ripened paddy crops in fields claimed by both states.
The harvesting party, which was proceeding under police escort, was reportedly confronted by a group of people from the Karbi-inhabited Tapat village in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district. A chaotic scuffle ensued, resulting in the death of a Karbi villager, identified as 45-year-old Orivel Timung.
Tension in the Lapangap region had been escalating for several months prior to the fatal clash. The area has been a constant flashpoint, with both sides engaging in a back-and-forth over territorial control, often involving the destruction of temporary structures and crops.
Following the October fatality, authorities had imposed a night curfew and temporarily suspended all agricultural activities in the area to prevent further escalation. While harvesting later resumed under heavy security and administrative dialogue, the underlying border dispute remains officially unresolved. The investigation into the violent event is ongoing under the purview of the WJH Police.
