DNA exclusive: Celebration pictures of Mirabai Chanu's Olympic win and Assam-Mizoram border violence

New Delhi: In tonight's segment of DNA, we will present before you pictures of two celebrations from the northeastern states of the country. One celebration is for winning Olympic medals whereas the other celebration by police personnel and goons for allegedly killing people of own country. On Tuesday, Mirabai Chanu, who got the silver coin in the Tokyo Olympics in the 49 kg category of women weightlifting, attended a grand reception function organised by the Directorate of Youth Affairs and Sports, Manipur at City Convention Auditorium just after her arrival at Imphal this afternoon.

CM Biren Singh handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore and an appointment letter to Mirabai to be the Additional Superintendent of Police (Sports) in the reception function where the Olympian's parents and family members were present. Two coaches of Mirabai, Anita and Brojen were also honoured at the function.

The pictures from today's celebration can give an impression that this convoy belonged to some politician, film star or a cricketer, who has won the World Cup. However, in reality, the convoy belonged to Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu.

It was an emotional homecoming for newly-crowned Olympic silver-medallist Mirabai Chanu as she arrived at her home state. Much like the reception at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, Chanu was met with a media frenzy at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal. A stringent training regimen after the 2016 Rio Games had limited Chanu's visits to the home for the past five years. When her convoy left the airport, locals started walking with it and soon, the warm welcome transformed into a grand rally of victory.

Moving forward, we bring to you pictures from another celebration which was observed for the killing of our own people from the country. The celebration saw the participation of Mizoram police and locals to mark the killing of five Assam policemen over a border dispute between the two states. 

Six policemen, including the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of Cachar Superintendent of Police Vaibhab Chandrakant Nimbalkar, and a civilian were killed during the violent clashes that took place on July 26. Besides, 50 others, including the Cachar SP, were injured in the incident. Earlier in the day, Assam CM Himanta Sarma paid floral tributes at Silchar to the policemen who lost their lives in the attack.

Sarma also visited the SMCH to meet the injured and directed the doctors to ensure that they get the best treatment.

Later addressing a press conference at Silchar, the CM Sarma announced that Rs 50 lakh would be paid to the next of kin of those killed and a government job will also be given to a family member while those injured will be given Rs one lakh each. He also announced that an additional one month salary will be given to all policemen deployed along the Mizoram border.

Central paramilitary forces have been deployed along the Mizoram-Assam border by the central government as neutral forces to defuse tension and maintain peace following a border standoff in August last year. While the CRPF are deployed on the Mizoram side, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) are camped on the Assam side in Lailapur.

The government of Assam has announced three days of state mourning in memory of soldiers killed in the deadly conflict, which witnessed some political reactions to it. The Congress party announced that it will send a team of 7 members to the areas where the conflict took place between the police personnel of the two neighbouring states. Congress said the team will be headed by Assam Congress President Bhupen Bora. 

It is to be noted that the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram is almost 146 years old now. Since independence, 11 Congress governments have been formed in Assam, but they never resolved the dispute. Now, however, they are willing to send a team of their leaders to the places of conflict to serve their political vendetta. 

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