Shoot at sight order in Mizoram border area

Shoot at sight orders were today issued to control arson at Bru villages in Bungthuam area near the border of Tripura, following the killing of a Mizo youth by suspected Bru militants, even as seven persons were arrested in the case.
    
"Shoot-at-sight order has been issued to bring the situation under control," Mizoram home minister R Lalzirliana told reporters here.
    
According to police, seven persons had been arrested for the arson. Altogether 43 bamboo huts belonging to Brus were torched yesterday at Sarali village in the area taking the total number since Friday to 399 in 9 villages.
    
The houses of 43 Mizos were also burnt, they said.
    
The trouble began on Friday when 18-year-old Zarzokima, a resident of Bungthuam was gunned down by Bru National Army militants.
    
"The recent cases of arson in the wake of a Mizo youth's killing is un-Christian and un-Mizo. We must keep calm and peace at this hour of crisis," Lalzirliana said in a statement
here.
    
"If we condemn the killing of the innocent youth why should we retaliate against the innocent people who belong to the same community and have nothing to do with the killing?" he asked.