Aizawl: Students of Mizoram, led by the influential Mizo Zirlawi Pawl, staged statewide protests on Monday seeking the resignation of the Congress government for allegedly failing to protect the state's territory and students.

The protests come in the wake of last week's alleged lathicharge and firing by Assam police on Mizo students who were trying to construct a wooden resting shed on land they claimed was donated by former Mizoram chief minister Ch. Chhunga's wife Lalrothangi near Bairabi town in Kolasib district on the northwestern boundary of the two states. At least 49 people were allegedly injured.

The Mizo Journalists' Association, an umbrella body of state journalists, said they would stage a sit-in on Tuesday in protest against the alleged attack in which they said five journalists were injured.

Chief minister Lal Thanhawla wrote to Union home minister Rajnath Singh about the "uncalled for" firing by Assam police on Mizo youths and sought his intervention to restore peace and the resume boundary dialogue at the earliest.

The government also deployed forces along the boundary on Sunday night.

In the state capital, students took out processions from Chanmari and Sikulpuikawn junctions towards Vanapa hall, where leaders of MZP and NGOs addressed a public gathering.

The rallyists, dressed in traditional clothes and shawls, shouted slogans against the state government.

MZP vice president Vanlaltana said the MZP was firm on constructing the shed at Zophai paddy field and would do so again on Wednesday.

Protesters burnt the effigy of Assam's Hailakandi deputy commissioner Adil Khan, who had said "police used minimum force", at Tlabung town along the state's border with Bangladesh.

In Assam, the Hailakandi administration organised community-level meetings along the boundary to instil security and confidence among the people.

Khan told the people about the steps taken to maintain law and order and thwart the MZP's attempts at constructing the shed in Assam's territory and the communiques transmitted to Kolasib administration to maintain status quo along the boundary.

He said Dispur had taken up the matter with the Mizoram and Union governments.

He asked the people to carry on with their daily lives, maintain cordial relations with people across the boundary and be vigilant so that antisocial elements do not foment trouble.

Assam DIG (South) D. Upadhyay, Hailakandi superintendent of police Mohneesh Mishra and other officials also addressed the people.

Additional reporting by Our Correspondent in Hailakandi