Shillong, June 29: A high-level meeting convened by Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang this evening mooted a political solution to the pending border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya especially regarding Langpih.

The move comes in the wake of clashes between the Nepali and Khasi communities that left several injured at Langpih in West Khasi Hills last evening.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma said a solution could be arrived at only after a meeting at the political level between the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya.

“Lapang has called up the office of his Assam counterpart Tarun Gogoi and discussed the matter with senior ministers in the absence of the chief minister who was out of station,” Sangma said.

He said Lapang hoped to have the meeting with Gogoi within 10 days. Last year, when Lapang was the leader of the Opposition, he had met Gogoi and discussed the need to solve the border dispute amicably.

Soon after the formation of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government a year ago, not a single meeting was held on the issue between the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya.

“The Centre’s intervention will be sought if both the states fail to arrive at any solution,” Sangma added.

On its part, Meghalaya police today sought a report on the clashes.

West Khasi Hills superintendent of police M. Kharkrang said the police had started an inquiry into the clashes.

John Fischer Nongsiang, the West Khasi Hills unit president of the Khasi Students Union, alleged that over a 100 residents belonging to the Nepali community tried to encroach on the area belonging to Khasis residing at Langpih.

“The members of both the communities later clashed with each other, resulting in injuries to many,” he said.

The SP said both the communities decided to settle their differences amicably after the Assam police at Boko intervened.

Despite several meetings held at the chief secretary level in both Assam and Meghalaya, the border dispute at Langpih between the two states remains unsolved.

Apart from the inter-state problem, another cause of concern for the Meghalaya government is the recent intrusion of Bangladeshis into Nongkhen near Dawki.

Concerned over the incident, the local MLA, Lakmen Rymbui of the Congress, sought the support of the state government in providing security to the people of Meghalaya.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Rymbui said it was high time the state government took steps to protect the land belonging to Meghalaya from time immemorial.

The Khasi residents often allege that the Assam police and the Nepalis at Langpih harass them.