Meghalaya: Two killed in clashes over CAA, eight arrested

The deceased have been identified as Lurshai Hynniewta and Rupchand Dewan.

On Saturday, miscreants attacked few non-tribals at Iewduh (Bara Bazar) area in Shillong where 10 people were injured.

According to police, the non-tribals were attacked by some miscreants in the area and the injured persons were immediately admitted at civil hospital in the capital city of Meghalaya.

One vegetable vendor identified as 29-year-old Rupchand Dewan hailing from Bhela Nawgaon in Assam’s Barpeta district succumbed to his injuries at hospital.

The other injured persons have been identified as Akash Ali, Ajay Kuri, Rikesh Das, Satya Mudak, Deepak Kumar, Pradeep Kuri, Aman Kumar Shah, Jadur Choudhury and Shubham Nath.

Following the incident, the district magistrate of East Khasi Hills district has imposed curfew in Shillong agglomeration and its adjoining areas from Saturday.

On Friday evening, the Meghalaya government suspended internet services in six districts of the state following a clash between Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and non-tribals that took place in East Khasi Hills district.

One KSU member was died and several others including policemen were injured in the clash took place at Ichamati Shella area in East Khasi Hills district.

According to the reports, some KSU members had gone to Ichamati area to organize a public meeting to speak on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and Inner Line Permit (ILP).

A clash erupted between the KSU members and the local non-tribals during the meeting.

Thereafter, some KSU members burnt a haystack at the edge of a market and also tried to burn a house.

The non-tribals also retaliated and attacked several vehicles of the KSU members including a bus and pelted stones.

Few other vehicles were also damaged after the non-tribal people attacked it.

One KSU member identified as Lurshai Hynniewta was killed during the clash and several other KSU members and policemen were also injured in the clash.

The injured persons were rushed to hospital.

Following the incident, the Meghalaya government had imposed curfew in Shillong and also suspended internet services in six districts – East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hilla, Ri Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills of the state for 48 hours from 10 pm on February 28.

On the other hand, Meghalaya police have arrested eight persons on the basis of an FIR filed by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) at Shella police station.

A case No. 9(12)2020 has been registered under sections 148/326/506/307/302/34 of the IPC and section 3 of the PDPP Act.

East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police (SP) Claudia Lyngwa said that, police have arrested eight persons in connection with the Friday incident.

The arrested persons were identified as Sushan Das, Ranjit Baidya, Bijit Baidya, Kanal Baidya, Joy Sharma, Indromohan Sharma and Rajesh Sharma.

On the other hand, the Meghalaya government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased KSU member, Lurshai Hynniewta who was killed during a clash at Ichamati Shella on Friday afternoon.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday called an emergency meeting to discuss the present situation in the state.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister has appealed all section of people of the state for peace.

Meghalaya home (police) minister Lahkmen Rymbui also held a meeting with several civil society groups and headmen of Shillong and sought their corporation in maintaining peace.

The state government has constituted a magisterial enquiry headed by additional district magistrate M Lakiang to probe the incident.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)