On March 1, fresh incidents of violence were reported from the East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya which has been under turmoil since the past three days. The death toll mounted to three with one resident of Pyrkan, Shella who was stabbed by unidentified men on Sunday morning, being declared brought dead at the Ichamati CHC, reported The Shillong Times. Several other incidents of assault were also reported from across the region after a clash between tribals and non-tribals during a meeting on ILP and CAA at Ichamati in Shella, East Khasi Hills on February 28 had resulted in the death of a member of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).
On Monday too, reports of sporadic violence continued to pour in. “Some unknown miscreants burnt down four shops taken on rent by non-indigenous community in Photkroh Bazaar, around 60 kms from Mawkyrwat, South West Khasi Hills,” as per a report by NE Now.
As the situation continues to deteriorate in the Northeastern state, curfew was extended in the whole of Shillong agglomeration and its adjoining areas till further notice on Monday morning. Earlier on Sunday, apprehending serious deterioration of law and order in Shillong, the district magistrate of East Khasi Hills had ordered re-imposing of curfew in the city with effect from 9 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday. The ban on mobile internet has also been extended for another 48 hours. However, the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE) final examinations which begin on Monday have been exempted from the purview of the curfew.
Also read: Meghalaya: Clash During ILP Meeting Leaves 1 Dead, Curfew Imposed in East Khasi Hills
On Sunday morning, another man identified as Aditya Kumar was stabbed in the Lower Mawprem area of Shillong with a broken bottle around 9.30 am. According to the Police Control Room in Shillong, there were reports of “unknown miscreants pelting stones at vehicles plying through National Highway in Puriang area” at around 5 pm.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, 10 non-tribals were reportedly attacked in the Iewdoh market in Shillong’s Bara Bazar area with one person being killed. Rupchand Dewan, who died in Saturday’s violence, was from Assam’s Barpeta district and used to sell vegetables at the market area where he was stabbed, reported The Indian Express. “While Dewan, a Muslim, succumbed to his wounds, nine others, all “non-indigenous” people, who were also targeted by the masked men who went on a stabbing spree in Bara Bazaar on Saturday, are recovering from their wounds, according to police officials,” the report added.
On Saturday night, around 9:30 pm, a petrol bomb was reportedly hurled at a residential compound in the city, the police stated. However, no one was injured or property damaged in the incident.
The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has appealed to the Meghalaya government to arrest all those involved in the attack on Khasi Students Union members at Ichamati on Friday and launch a combing operation “to evict illegal immigrants from Bangladesh” from the area. Eight persons have so far been arrested related to the death of Lurshai Hynniewtrap, who was killed in the clash on Friday at Ichamati.
Keeping in view the simmering tension, Director General of Police R. Chandranathan has issued an appeal asking the people to maintain peace in the region. As per reports, the DGP has requested the people to visit the official website of Meghalaya police, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram whereby news bulletin regarding incidents occurring during the day are being disseminated twice a day in order to avert further escalation of such untoward incidents.
