Violence Shillong

Security is enhanced in violence-hit areas of Shillong where a curfew was relaxed for seven hours June 3. An indefinite curfew was imposed in areas under the Lumdiengjri police station and Cantonment Beat House June 1. (IANS photo)

Meghalaya
Violence Shillong

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Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. SHILLONG — The authorities June 4 extended the curfew in the Meghalaya capital as violence continued in tension-hit areas the previous night with mobs engaging in stone-pelting on security forces for the last four days.
"Curfew has been imposed from 4:00 p.m. on Monday to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday in Shillong as there is likelihood that breach of peace may spread to other parts of the city," Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills, Peter. S. Dkhar told IANS.
"The situation is very tense in those areas," he said, adding that mobile internet services would remain suspended and the illegal sale of petrol and diesel was prohibited.
Half hour before the curfew came into effect, a group of hawkers comprising of men and women breached the state Secretariat and barged in to meet Chief Minister Conrad Sangma seeking to resolve the ongoing crisis that has affected the vendors.
On June 1, the district magistrate imposed curfew in areas under Lumdiengjri police station and Cantonment Beat House in view of the breakdown of law and order in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas following the May 31 clash.
Although the curfew was relaxed for seven hours beginning at 8:00 a.m. June 3, the mob continued to pelt stones at security forces, forcing the police to fire tear gas shells.
The mob also attacked a prison van carrying a mentally-unstable person who had been referred to the KJP Robert Hospital, Inspector General of Police, H. Nongpluh told IANS.
On June 3, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the police have "found out that there are certain people who are funding this agitation."
The clash erupted after a skirmish between a group of women and a Shillong Public Transport Service bus driver at Them Meteor, which led to an assault on three persons.
The violence continued even after the parties involved in the skirmish reached a compromise.
On June 4, the Army staged a flag march in Shillong despite the ongoing violence.
"One Army column marched across Shillong to help bring the situation under control," Director General of Police Swaraj Bir Singh told IANS.
"The situation is very tense," he said.
Chief Minister Sangma held several rounds of meetings with leaders of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance coalition government as well as a delegation of leaders from the Punjab government led by Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
A Sikh delegation led by Delhi legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa also met Sangma and expressed satisfaction that the "Sikhs were safe" in Meghalaya.
Shillong-based Sikh community leader Gurjeet Singh denied media reports that a gurudwara was torched or desecrated.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has also denied rumors of the alleged attack.
Senior Congress legislator Charles Pyngrope said: "We have deliberated on the need to relocate the people from the sweeper lane to a location which will not affect anybody."
Emerging from the meeting with various groups, Sangma said that the government decided to set up a high-level committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to find a permanent solution to the long-pending issue of relocating the sweeper colony.
Meanwhile, Randhawa and his team urged Sangma to provide protection and safety to the Sikh community and their religious institutions in the state.
"We were assured by chief minister that the Meghalaya government is taking all possible measures to ensure the security of the Sikh community in Meghalaya," the Punjab minister said.
On the demand to relocate the Sikh people from Sweepers Lane, the Punjab minister said: "It is a local issue and the matter of relocating them is sub-judice."