[ Bengia Ajum ]

ITANAGAR, 23 Aug: The situation in Hime village in Lower Siang district, where a clash broke out on 10 August after a group of people from Bodoti village in Assam allegedly attacked the village, is slowly returning to normal.

The situation has improved following the deployment of police forces by both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh at Pompek, near Hime village.

Speaking to this daily, Lower Siang SP Bomken Basar said the situation is currently calm. "At present, as a precautionary measure, neither the people of Hime are going towards Bodoti, nor are the people of Bodoti coming to Hime. Assam Police are also taking precautions by not allowing people from Hime to go towards Assam," said SP Basar.

The dispute between Hime and Bodoti started over grazing land located inside Hime village. "The villagers are yet to start a dialogue on this issue," the SP added.

Meanwhile, tension escalated on Saturday after an APST bus operating between Itanagar and Kangku in Lower Siang was vandalised by a group of miscreants at Gerakamukh, near Pasoni Camp, in Assam's Dhemaji district. The bus, which had left Itanagar in the morning and dropped passengers at Kangku, was returning when it was stopped by the group.

The miscreants vandalised the vehicle and reportedly attempted to set it ablaze. However, the driver, Deepak Biswas, promptly intervened.

"Driver Biswas warned the miscreants that the bus was equipped with CCTV surveillance facilities, and that all those involved would subsequently be identified. This forced them to stop the attack and save the bus," informed SP Basar.

According to the driver, the bus was intercepted and vandalised allegedly because it was carrying food items and passengers into Arunachal, the SP added.

The bus was taken into the custody of the Assam Police and was later released following intervention by the Lower Siang police and district administration.