GUWAHATI- Fresh violence erupted along the Assam–Meghalaya interstate border on Sunday evening after a confrontation between residents on both sides escalated into a full-scale clash in the disputed Pilingkata area.
The incident began around 5:30 pm, when a group of women from the Meghalaya side reportedly objected to the removal of a makeshift nameplate marking “Meghalaya territory,” which had been installed on a bamboo pole last week by local residents.
Eyewitnesses said the altercation, involving slapping and pushing, quickly drew hundreds of villagers from adjoining hamlets. Tensions escalated into stone pelting and stick-wielding assaults, leaving at least eight persons injured, including two women. Three of the injured are reported to be in critical condition. The injured were taken to Guwahati Medical College Hospital and private hospitals in Basistha for treatment.
Also Read- Assam Passes Bill to Give Land Rights to Tea Workers
Pilingkata is one of the six “complex” areas still unresolved between the two states, despite the 2022 border agreement that settled disputes in six other sectors. Both Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma have repeatedly described sectors like Pilingkata and Psiar-Khanduli as particularly sensitive.
By 7 pm, heavy contingents of Assam Police and Meghalaya Police reached the spot and dispersed the crowds. A joint police picket has been stationed overnight to prevent further gathering or escalation.
Also Read- Bodo’s Torchlight March Opposes Assam’s ST Decision
This is the third major border incident in 2025. A person was killed in nearby Khanduli in October, while police used tear gas in Lapangap in June to disperse protesting villagers.
Political leaders from both states have appealed for calm, with the Joint Legislature Committee on border issues expected to address the matter when assemblies reconvene for the winter session.
For now, an uneasy calm prevails in Pilingkata, though residents on both sides fear the long-standing boundary dispute could again escalate if not addressed promptly.
