Tension continues in Shillong as another man dies, 9 injured

A 29-year-old man died and nine others were injured after they were attacked by unidentified people in a busy market in Meghalaya’s Shillong on Saturday, according to police.

This was the second death after a Khasi man was killed on Friday in a clash during a rally in Ichamati village of East Khasi Hills district. The rally was held to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and seek the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime in the state.

Assistant inspector general of police (A) Gabriel K Iangrai said Rupchand Dewan succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

Dewan was a resident of Laban Jumma Compound in Hari Sabha and originally belonged to Bhela Nawgoan village under Borpeta district of Assam.

The police said the victims, mostly non-tribals, were shifted to the Shillong civil hospital for treatment.

The other victims have been identified as Akash Ali (21) of Laban Batti Bazaar, Ajay Kuri (39) of Mawbah in Barapathar, Rikesh Das (60) of Kench’s Trace, Satya Madak (36) of Mawprem, Deepak Kumar (17) of Barapathar, Pradeep Kuri (21) of Barapathar, Aman Kumar Shah (18) of Garikhana, Jadur Choudhury (50) and Shubham Nath (18) of Lower Mawprem, Bishop Falls.

Iangrai said Akash Ali was assaulted by a group of people at Jaiaw in Langsning at around 11am while Shubham Nath was stabbed on his left shoulder and brought to the civil hospital with a deep wound at around 3.15pm.

Iangrai said another non-tribal was also assaulted at Iew Sohra market in Cherrapunjee and was taken to Sohra Community Health Centre for treatment. The person, who received grievous injuries on his head, was later referred to Shillong civil hospital for further treatment, he said.

A curfew was imposed in the areas under Lumdiengjri and Sadar police stations from 12pm while the remaining parts of the capital Shillong and its agglomerate were already under curfew from 9pm on Saturday to 8am on Sunday.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the death of Lurshai Hynniewta on Friday based on the first information report (FIR) lodged by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Shella police station in East Khasi Hills district, a senior police officer said.

An investigation into the violence is also underway, the officer added.

The arrested have been identified as Sushan Das (46), Ranjit Baidya (30), Bajit Baidya (30), Kanal Baidya (51), Sajol Das (38), Joy Sharma (41), Indormohan Sharma (34) and Rajesh Sharma (25).

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, after reviewing the law and order situation on Saturday, announced the victims’ families will be given an ex-gratia.

“The government has decided to give an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and I would like to express our solidarity and support with the people especially the family members of the deceased,” Sangma said.

Lauding East Khasi Hills police for the prompt response to the situation since Friday, Sangma said the overall situation has improved while admitting that tension still prevailed in some pockets.

“Curfew has been imposed in some parts of the city and suspension of mobile internet will continue,” the chief minister said adding that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident at Inchamati, the report of which will be submitted shortly.

He appealed to all citizens and social organisations to refrain from any kind of violence to ensure that peace and tranquillity is restored at the earliest.

Assuring that the government will augment manpower of the administration in Sohra civil sub-division, the CM said additional central forces have been sought to enable the state to ensure that law and order is maintained.