Shillong: Night curfew was imposed in parts of Mahendraganj in Meghalaya’s South West Garo Hills after a police station came “under siege” following a rumour that police had shot at a “mentally unstable” person who was running away with a service weapon.
Deputy Commission of Police Ram Kumar S told News 18, “The situation is under control and night curfew has been imposed from 6pm to 8am.” Superintendent of Police Rituraj Ravi said, “No arrests have been made so far, but a magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The DIG Western Range will also conduct a probe.”
Home Minister James Sangma has refused to speak to the media following the incident. Senior Congress leader Zenith Sangma called for restoration of peace even as he maintained that the incident was mishandled by police.
“At this point of time, peace has to be restored first, the situation was mishandled by the law enforcing agency at the beginning as the rumour spread very fast,” Sangma said. Stating that there were several rumours doing the rounds, he sought an independent inquiry into the incident.
Mahendraganj is about 400km from Shillong and close to the border with Bangladesh. Police said a mentally unstable person was brandishing a weapon near the PWD area at Nadichar in Mahendraganj.
After receiving a complaint, police reached the spot and identified the man as Ahidul Islam, 35. He reportedly tried to attack the police with a dao. A police staff, while trying to capture the man, dropped his service rifle and fell into the river in a bid to pick it up. Islam then took the rifle and started running.
A police sub-inspector allegedly fired a blank in an attempt to stop Islam, but he managed to flee. Later, a mob stormed into the Mahendraganj police station and ransacked it. They also damaged a number of vehicles.