Mob torches 20 huts after youth's killing

A mob set aflame 20 huts at a Bru settlement at Thinghlun, near the Tripura border, in Mizoram last night as tension escalated following the gunning down of a youth.

While people from nearby areas initially turned up at Bungthuam, the native village of the slain youth Zarzikima, to mourn his death, a section of crowd later headed towards Thinghlum, the new Bru settlement near Tripura border, and torched and set ablaze at least 20 hutments, police said.

Many of the attackers even attempted to cross over to the Tripura side in search of the killers but were dissuaded.

While the Bru National Army, known to be a 13-member outfit, claimed responsibility for the gunning of the youth while collecting animal fodder in the area yestersday, there were unconfirmed reports of three employees of state environment and forests department being forcibly taken away in the area by the activists later.

Warning the trouble-makers, Mizoram Home minister R. Lalzirliana said that those who are out to disrupt peace would be firmly dealt with and brought to book.

Condemning the incident, several political parties and the Young Mizo Association (YMA) central committee demanded that those behind the killing should be arrested and punished as per law. The organisations also appealed to people not to harm the innocent. Leaders of YMA and Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo Student's Federation visited Bungthuam.