Shillong/Guwahati: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Saturday said authorities had identified five masked individuals allegedly involved in the violence that erupted during the Khasi Students’ Union’s (KSU) “black flag bike rally” in Shillong on August 19.
Speaking after a high-level meeting between the Meghalaya and Assam governments in Guwahati, Dhar said 15 FIRs had so far been registered over the incidents, including attacks on Assam-registered vehicles.
SIT To Probe Attacks
The Meghalaya government has formed a Special Investigation Team to identify all those involved in the violence, particularly the people responsible for targeting vehicles registered in Assam, and ensure that they face legal action.
KSU president Raymond Kharjana, vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet and general secretary Reuben Najiar have already been arrested. The three leaders are currently in judicial custody.
Dhar said the state government would assess the damage caused to vehicles and provide compensation in accordance with the law. He added that over 3,770 Assam-registered vehicles had been escorted safely out of Meghalaya into Assam since the violence.
“Any passenger or vehicle yet to be transferred to Assam will be safely escorted and transferred within the next 48 hours. A dedicated exercise will be undertaken to ensure that every tourist or vehicle wishing to return to Assam is facilitated and safely escorted,” Dhar said.
The two states also decided to create a dedicated coordination mechanism involving the Inspector General of Assam’s Special Branch and Meghalaya’s IG for Law and Order. Helplines and an online support forum will be activated to help trace and assist stranded passengers and vehicle operators, as reported by The New Indian Express.
A joint committee of senior transport officials from both states and representatives of tourist vehicle associations will regulate tourist transport and protect the shared tourism interests of Assam and Meghalaya.
Blockade Disrupts Traffic
Assam Minister Atul Bora, who led his state’s delegation, said both governments would take measures to protect vehicles and restore confidence among transport operators.
“We all know that such incidents occur in Meghalaya every year. We could understand the public sentiment following the recent violence in Shillong and conveyed it to the Meghalaya delegation. They have assured to take steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” Bora said.
He urged Guwahati-based cab operators and transport workers to withdraw their blockade against Meghalaya-registered vehicles, while appealing to people in both states to help restore normalcy.
The blockade at Jorabat and Khanapara along the Assam-Meghalaya inter-state border disrupted traffic on National Highway 27. Passengers were deboarded from vehicles at Jorabat and transferred to Assam taxis, while Meghalaya taxis leaving Guwahati were allowed to proceed without passengers.
Guwahati Police said a group of protesters vandalised a taxi bearing Meghalaya registration at Khanapara, though the situation was brought under control shortly afterwards.
The protesters also intercepted the vehicle of the Additional Superintendent of Police of West Garo Hills before allowing it to proceed towards Shillong. Ambulances and essential-service vehicles were exempted.
Meanwhile, Assam’s drivers’ bodies and tourist-cab operators have demanded an apology from Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the state tourism minister. Their demands also include compensation for damaged vehicles and injured people, besides a formal assurance that Assam-registered vehicles and their drivers will be protected while travelling through Meghalaya.
The transport groups warned that vehicles registered in Meghalaya would be prevented from entering Assam until the demands were fulfilled. Meanwhile, some social media users in Assam urged people to avoid Meghalaya as a weekend tourist destination for at least six months.
Security Tightened
The violence damaged at least 31 vehicles, mostly registered in Assam, and several people were assaulted. Petrol bombs were also thrown at a police outpost in Shillong and government facilities in Ri-Bhoi and South West Khasi Hills districts. No injuries were reported, though.
Meanwhile, the Centre has approved the deployment of five companies of central forces — four of the CRPF and one of the RAF — in Meghalaya until August 25.
Chief Ministers Conrad K Sangma and Himanta Biswa Sarma have agreed to jointly work towards restoring peace, ensuring the safety of commuters and transport operators, and maintaining the movement of essential goods and services between the two states.
