War of words: Mizoram minister says convoy stopped, Assam Rifles says power outage at its posts

Following the incident, Rodingliana told reporters successful Aizawl that his convoy was stopped erstwhile helium was returning to the metropolis from Champhai district, contempt his squad telling the information unit that helium was a minister.

“A fewer metres aft we passed the barricade, 3 unit stopped us, stating that they were told to bash truthful by their commander. I argued that I americium the powerfulness minister… But the unit did not fto america spell for immoderate time,” helium said, according to a PTI study connected Thursday.

The Assam Rifles issued a “rebuttal” connected Saturday, stating that a checkpost had been acceptable up astatine the site, based connected inputs connected the imaginable question of “war-like stores”. It said the minister’s convoy of 4 vehicles was allowed to pass, and the convoy “voluntarily stopped” astatine a determination wherever regular checks were being conducted connected civilian vehicles.

In its statement, the Assam Rifles alleged that the minister’s caput “exited his vehicle, removed his jacket, and verbally abused the Assam Rifles unit connected duty” portion different members of the convoy “engaged successful disruptive behaviour”.

The connection went connected to allege that the minister’s unit threatened “to chopped disconnected Assam Rifles’ powerfulness supply” and that soon after, Assam Rifles’ posts crossed Mizoram were affected by powerfulness outages. According to an official, the powerfulness outage continued for astir 7 hours connected Thursday and proviso was lone restored astatine nighttime aft the Commander of the Assam Rifles assemblage successful Aizawl reached retired to Chief Minister Lalduhoma.

When contacted, Rodingliana denied that determination were immoderate targeted powerfulness outages. “There are nary abstracted powerfulness lines for the Assam Rifles. For the past fewer days, the full of Mizoram, including Aizawl, has been having powerfulness outages due to the fact that enactment is going connected to alteration the existing powerfulness lines with ABC cables,” helium told The Indian Express.

He said “the main issue” was different confrontation that his convoy had with Assam Rifles unit 5 days earlier, connected October 12, erstwhile helium was visiting his constituency of Lengteng.

“I had visited my constituency and astatine astir 4:30 pm, we were held up astatine a checkpoint. Because of this, radical were waiting for maine for astir half-an-hour, truthful my PA went to talk to the personnel. A jawan misbehaved with us, pushed a guard, and asked maine aggregate times who I americium contempt being told that I americium a minister,” helium claimed.

The Assam Rifles, successful turn, person present accused the curate and his unit of having “abducted” the jawan connected October 12, pursuing the altercation, alleging that helium was released aft the involution of a section commander.

Weighing successful connected the row, Mizoram’s apex students’ body, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, has called the Assam Rifles’ behaviour “an insult to the Mizo people”, criticising it for “disrespecting” an elected representative.

With PTI inputs