No clashes in last 12 hrs, life limping back to normal in Shillong: Top official

Shillong: The situation in the violence-hit Meghalaya capital has "improved" with no fresh clash reported from any part of the city over the past 12 hours, a top district official said.

Barring the 14 "vulnerable" localities, where the 24-hour curfew continued to remain in force, life was limping back to normal in other parts of Shillong, he said. 

"Over 90 per cent shops in Police Bazaar, and parts of Bara Bazaar opened on Tuesday morning. People were seen buying supplies at the two marts. Taxis were also plying on thoroughfares, but buses still remained off roads," he added. 

Read: Army, central forces called in after fresh clashes in Shillong

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner P S Dkhar said the home department was yet to take a call on restoring internet and messaging services in the state capital. "There was no report of any untoward incident in the past 12 hours, but curfew would be imposed on the entire city from 4 pm to 5 am, just like Monday," he said. 

The hill town has been in the grip of violence since Thursday following a fight between the Sikh residents in Shillong's Punjabi Lane area, also known as sweeper colony, and the Khasi drivers of state-run buses. 

Over 10 people, including policemen and CRPF personnel, were injured in the clashes. Altogether 15 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed at various locations in Shillong to handle the situation. 

Also Read: Shillong clashes: Army holds flag march, curfew still on in some areas

The Army also conducted a flag march in the city for the second day on Monday. The BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has formed a high-level committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, to find a permanent solution to the issue of relocation of the sweeper colony, inhabited by the Punjabis, where an assault incident, fanned by fake news on the social media, sparked the clashes last week. 

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said on Monday night that the urban affairs department has been asked to submit a detailed report on the Punjabi Lane area to the committee, including its history, legal aspects and concerns of the people living there.