Assam Meghalaya Land Dispute
The groups accused Khasi residents from across the border of regularly trespassing into farmlands, intimidating local farmers, and disrupting agricultural work in Baikam Khasi Punji.

Guwahati: Tensions flared along the Assam–Meghalaya border in Cachar district after reports suggested that Baikam Khasi Punji, a small village under Assam’s Katigorah Assembly constituency, might be included in Meghalaya as part of the ongoing interstate boundary talks.

On Sunday, members of the All Assam Adivasi Students’ Association and the All Barak Valley Karbi Students’ Association staged protests and vowed to stop the government from handing over even an inch of Assam’s land.

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The groups accused Khasi residents from across the border of regularly trespassing into farmlands, intimidating local farmers, and disrupting agricultural work in Baikam Khasi Punji.

Student leaders warned that officially transferring the village to Meghalaya could trigger further tension and potential violence, especially if such alleged provocations continue unchecked. Local residents expressed fears that the move would disrupt the region’s demographic balance, strengthen the Khasi community’s influence, and threaten long-standing social harmony.

“If the government gives away this land, it will endanger our lives and livelihoods,” said one resident. He added that over 800 families from villages like Malidahar, Gumra Tea Estate, and Jalalpur depend on these lands for daily sustenance.

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The protesting organisations urged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Cachar district administration to step in immediately and stop any attempt to transfer the land. Student leaders also warned of intensifying their agitation if authorities proceed with the plan.

These protests emerge amid the decades-old Assam–Meghalaya border dispute, where both states contest 12 stretches along their 884.9-km shared boundary.

In March 2022, Assam and Meghalaya signed the first phase of a settlement to resolve six disputed areas. However, contentious zones in districts like West Khasi Hills and Cachar remain unresolved.

As talks progress into the second phase of negotiations, many in the region worry that Baikam Khasi Punji may fall into the next round of territorial adjustments. Officials in Cachar, however, have not confirmed any formal proposal involving the village.