1 dead in Shillong anti-CAA protest

Guwahati: Curfew was imposed in trouble-torn area of Shillong and telecom services were suspended on Saturday following a violent clash between members of Khasi Students Union (KSU) and non-tribals in Ichamati area of East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya leading to one death.

Police said that they have arrested eight accused who are alleged to have been involved in the violence in East Khasi Hills district. The violence followed a meeting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime in the state.

“The administration decided to impose curfew in trouble-torn areas after the report of clashes and two vehicles being torched by some miscreants. Early morning we also arrested eight persons from Ichamati who were directly involved in the violence which killed one person and injured several others. They are named in the FIR,” said Mr Claudia A. Lyngwa, the superintendent of police, East Khasi Hills district. He claimed the situation was tense but under control.

Police said that the violence started after a meeting organised by the Khasi Students Union (KSU) in Ichamati. “At about 3 pm, after the meeting, clashes broke out between KSU members and local non-tribals of the area. Thereafter, the KSU members burnt a haystack at the edge of the market and attempted to burn a house. The non-tribals retaliated, and stoned a bus carrying KSU members,” the police in a statement said.

“Four members of KSU were injured, two were sent to Ichamati CHC and discharged, two were referred to Sohra CHC. One local taxi which had gone to collect the KSU members from the Ichamati market after the clashes was also damaged.”