Death toll in ethnic violence in Shillong rises to 3

Shillong (IANS) With the fresh incidents of violence and killing of a 37-year-old youth on Sunday, the toll in ethnic violence in Meghalaya rose to three, officials said.

The authorities re-imposed curfew in capital city Shillong and its outskirts, officials added.

Police said that a 37-year-old man died after being attacked by some "unknown miscreants" in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district at the wee hours on Sunday while fresh violence of incidents were reported in parts of Shillong and elsewhere.

Internet services were suspended in six of the eleven districts of Meghalaya. These include East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills.

According to police, one Uphas Uddin was seriously injured in attack by three "unknown miscreants" at his home at Pyrken village under Shella police station. He was brought to Khamati primary health centre but the doctor declared him brought dead.

Following sporadic incidents of violence in parts of Shillong, East Khasi Hills District administration has re-imposed curfew from 8 a.m. on Sunday morning in the areas under Lumdengjiri police station, Sardar police station and entire areas of the Cantonment Beat House of Shillong city.

Some people attacked Rajua Karim, 31, an employee of Meghalaya Basin Development Agency at Mawthabah, (Mawsyram) and seriously injured him. He was admitted to hospital early on Sunday.

In another incident, miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the residential complex of Lakshmi Bareh at Pynthorbah Block-4, Shillong. However, none was injured or property damaged in the incident.

Arsons and stone pelting have been reported from different parts of the state since Friday night.

Central Para-Military Forces have been deployed along with the state forces in the trouble-torn areas.

A migrant worker Rupsang Dewan, 29, was stabbed to death at a market in Shillong on Saturday. The victim is a resident of Barpeta in western Assam.

According to police, in separate incidents of violence on Saturday, seven people were also injured when a group of masked men went on a stabbing spree in the capital city. Some shops and vehicles were also vandalised by the miscreants.

"The prohibitory orders would continue until further orders," East Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner M. War Nongbri said.

A police official in Shillong said that in a clash on Friday between KSU activists and non-tribals in Ichamati area (under East Khasi Hills District), a KSU activist Lurshai Hynniewta sustained critical injuries. Subsequently, he succumbed to his injuries at a health centre in Sohra (Cherrapunjee).

At least seven others were also injured in Friday's clashes.

According to the police, the clashes between the KSU members and non-tribals broke out during an anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-ILP (Inner Line Permit) meeting held in Ichamati area of the district on Friday.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma ordered an inquiry into the incident. Para-military forces have been deployed in the tension ridden areas to maintain law and order.

Eight people have so far been arrested after the Friday's incident. "A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The district and police administrations have ensured that enough security personnel were put in place in the affected areas," the chief minister told the media on Saturday night after a high level review meeting with senior police and civil administration officials.

Sangma announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the family of those killed in clash.

The Meghalaya government has arranged buses for the stranded tourists in Cherrapunjee (Sohra), Shillong or any other nearby places. The state government has announced to provide free transportation to ferry the tourists out of the state.

The Meghalaya Assembly unanimously on December 19 last year had adopted a resolution requesting the Centre to promulgate the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the mountainous state to keep it out of the purview of the CAA, but the union Home Ministry is yet to issue the statutory notification in this regard.

The mountainous state had witnessed violent agitations in December last year also.

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO), a conglomerate of agitating bodies, said the demand for the regulatory permit would continue until the union home ministry gives its approval.

In the second week of December, Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma had led a delegation of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) and met Home Minister Amit Shah to demand introduction of the ILP in Meghalaya.