Boko, Sept 5: Census operations at Noapara LP School in Lampi under Kamrup district were interrupted on Friday when a group described as Meghalaya supporters, together with personnel said to be from the Meghalaya Police, confronted officials conducting population enumeration, according to local reports.
What happened at the enumeration site
Officials carrying out the census were confronted at the school while conducting household enumeration, leading to a tense situation that required Assam Police to respond and secure the area. After the intervention, the census team was escorted away from the site once fieldwork had been completed, local accounts said.
Village headman Chankiyo Marak and Arthuch Sangma were named in reports as among those who arrived at the census site and raised objections to the exercise. The incident highlights recurring frictions along the Assam–Meghalaya inter‑state boundary, where questions of territorial claims and administrative control have periodically led to standoffs.
Reactions and concerns from local representatives
Arjun Chhetri, Executive Member of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, criticised what he described as frequent disruptions and called for stronger administrative measures to protect officials engaged in government work in disputed border zones.
“If a Garo‑Khasi village exists in Dispur, will Meghalaya claim Assam’s capital?”
Chhetri argued that such episodes stem from inadequate security arrangements and insufficient administrative intervention, and he urged authorities to ensure that census and other official duties proceed without obstruction.
Background: long‑running border disputes
The episode in Lampi comes against the backdrop of long‑standing territorial disagreements between Assam and Meghalaya. Several stretches of the inter‑state boundary have been contested for decades, occasionally giving rise to confrontations between residents, local leaders and police forces from the two states. These disputes have, at times, hampered delivery of government services and complicated administrative exercises such as land revenue work and population enumeration.
Practical implications for census and administration
Incidents that interrupt enumeration risk affecting data collection and schedule adherence for the decennial census, a national exercise that underpins planning and allocation of resources. Officials responsible for the census typically rely on local cooperation and clear security arrangements when operating in sensitive border areas.
- Immediate outcome: Assam Police intervened and census staff were escorted safely after completing their assigned work at the site.
- Claims: Meghalaya supporters and Meghalaya Police personnel were said to have reached the location and objected to enumeration.
- Calls for action: Local leaders demanded stronger administrative and security measures to prevent recurrence.
What authorities can do next
To reduce disruptions in contested zones, authorities typically consider measures such as advance coordination between state administrations, the deployment of security escorts for enumeration teams, clear demarcation where possible, and local stakeholder consultations prior to sensitive exercises. The census authority and state administrations have not issued a joint public statement on this specific incident in the reports available.
| Aspect | Report detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Noapara LP School, Lampi (Boko), Kamrup district |
| Actors named | Village headman Chankiyo Marak; Arthuch Sangma; Meghalaya Police (reported); Assam Police (intervened) |
| Outcome | Census officials escorted from site after completing work |
Local residents expressed concern over recurring confrontations and the security of government personnel operating in the border belt. The incident is likely to prompt requests from elected representatives and administrators for clearer protocols when conducting large‑scale official exercises in disputed localities.
There has been no immediate joint statement from Assam or Meghalaya administrations in the reports available; nor has the national census authority publicly commented on the Lampi episode as of the latest local reports.
