Meghalaya CM’s meeting in Tura turns violent, night curfew imposed

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 24, 2023

Five police men including one SOT personnel were injured due to stone pelting from a mob of angry people in CM Secretariat Office at Tura and three vehicles were reportedly burnt by the mob compelling the District Administration West Garo Hills District to impose night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am in Tura Town and also restricted the sale of petrol to prevent any further arson case.

The mob initially gathered outside Mini Secretariat while Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was holding a meeting with the leaders of ACHIK and GHSMC and others who were demanding winter capital in Tura.

The meeting was conducive as the CM had invited the agitating groups for discussion in presence of all stakeholders in Shillong tentatively on August 8 or 9, next.

The mob suddenly started pelting stones and damaged the windows of the CM Secretariat Office and in the process, five personnel including one SOT personnel were injured.

Police resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the crowd, but the mob still continue to pelt stones towards the CM Secretariat Office.

The leaders of ACHIK and GHSMC defended themselves by denying any role in the violent incident and even went to the extent of knowing any of the people protesting outside the CM Secretariat Office.

Conrad announced 50000 compensation to each of the injured police personnel and all medical expense will be borne by government.

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate West Garo Hills has promulgated an order under Section144 CrPC imposing night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am and also banning sale of loose petrol in jerry cans.

Condemning the incident, the chief minister said this is not something that Garo Hills has experienced and that there seems to be “another plan” behind the agitation.

“Whatever you have seen seems to be another plan by some individuals. As I said, even the NGOs who were in this have already said that they are not part of this and they are not aware of the individuals involved,” he said.

Sangma said a full video recording and details of people, who are instigating the mob, is available and “definitely as per law necessary action will be taken from the police side.”

The chief minister also informed that the majority of the stakeholders, civil societies and NGOs were not part of the hunger strike protest staged by the ACHIK.

“Despite that, I felt it appropriate and I’ve always believed that dialogue is important and hence I made it a point to meet them and that was what was decided,” he said.

He said when the meeting was almost over, they heard some agitation and sloganeering outside.

“I asked some people to go and speak to their people and tell them to control and not to create any kind of scene out here. But once the NGO leaders have gone outside to talk to these people, they come back to tell us that they have no idea who these people are. They have never seen them before. For the last 14 days they have been here sitting and having this fasting they didn’t see these people and today for the first time they have come and some of them even look intoxicated and not really in the correct senses in some sense.”